A1 (Basic)

expensive

expensive [adjective]
US /ɪkˈspen.sɪv/ 
UK /ɪkˈspen.sɪv/ 
Example: 

An expensive house

costing a lot of money OPP cheap

Persian equivalent: 
Example: 

An expensive house

Oxford Essential Dictionary

expensive

 adjective
Something that is expensive costs a lot of money:
expensive clothes
The meal was very expensive.
 opposite cheap

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

expensive

expensive S1 W2 /ɪkˈspensɪv/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑expenditure, ↑expense, expenses; verb: ↑expend; adverb: ↑expensively ≠ ↑inexpensively; adjective: ↑expensive ≠ ↑inexpensive]
costing a lot of money OPP cheap:
the most expensive restaurant in town
Petrol is becoming more and more expensive.
Photography is an expensive hobby.
expensive to buy/run/produce/maintain etc
The house was too big and expensive to run.
For low-income families, children’s safety equipment can be prohibitively expensive (=so expensive that most people cannot afford it).
Employing the wrong builder can be a horribly expensive mistake.
Her husband had expensive tastes (=liked expensive things).
—expensively adverb:
She’s always expensively dressed.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adverbs
quite/fairly expensive The food’s quite expensive, but it’s really nice.
rather/pretty expensive (=more expensive than you expect) I think £1000 for a bed is rather expensive.
very/extremely expensive We ate at a very expensive restaurant.
astronomically/phenomenally expensive (=used to emphasize how expensive something is) Some new medical treatments are phenomenally expensive.
hugely expensive (=extremely expensive, especially when you think something is too expensive) The building is hugely expensive to maintain.
ridiculously/outrageously/horrendously expensive (=extremely expensive, in a way that seems shocking) Room service in the hotel was ridiculously expensive.
extortionately expensive (=extremely expensive, in a way that is not fair or reasonable) Houses in some parts of London are extortionately expensive.
prohibitively expensive formal (=too expensive, with the result that most people cannot afford to buy something) HIV medicines are still prohibitively expensive for sufferers in Africa.
■ verbs
look expensive All of her clothes look very expensive.
prove expensive Their decision could prove expensive.
■ nouns
expensive tastes (=a desire to have things that are very expensive) His wife has very expensive tastes and his kids always want the latest things.
an expensive mistake (=a mistake which results in someone having to spend a lot of money) Choosing the wrong builder turned out to be an expensive mistake.
• • •
THESAURUS
expensive costing a lot of money: an expensive car | Apartments in the city are very expensive. | An underground train system is expensive to build.
high costing a lot of money.You use high about rents/fees/prices/costs. Don’t use expensive with these words: Rents are very high in this area. | Lawyers charge high fees. | the high cost of living in Japan
dear [not before noun] British English spoken expensive compared to the usual price: £3.50 seems rather dear for a cup of coffee.
pricey /ˈpraɪsi/ informal expensive: The clothes are beautiful but pricey.
costly expensive in a way that wastes money: Upgrading the system would be very costly. | They were anxious to avoid a costly legal battle.
cost a fortune informal to be very expensive: The necklace must have cost a fortune!
exorbitant /ɪɡˈzɔːbətənt, ɪɡˈzɔːbɪtənt $ -ɔːr-/ much too expensive: Some accountants charge exorbitant fees.
astronomical astronomical prices, costs, and fees are extremely high: the astronomical cost of developing a new spacecraft | the astronomical prices which some people had paid for their seats | The cost of living is astronomical.
overpriced too expensive and not worth the price: The DVDs were vastly overpriced.
somebody can’t afford something someone does not have enough money to buy or do something: Most people can’t afford to send their children to private schools.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

expensive

ex·pen·sive   [ɪkˈspensɪv]    [ɪkˈspensɪv]  adjective
costing a lot of money
an expensive car/restaurant/holiday
Art books are expensive to produce.
I can't afford it, it's too expensive.
Making the wrong decision could prove expensive.
That dress was an expensive mistake.
Opp:  inexpensive
Derived Word: expensively  
Word Origin:
early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘lavish, extravagant’): from Latin expens- ‘paid out’, from the verb expendere, from ex- ‘out’ + pendere ‘weigh, pay’ + -ive.  
Thesaurus:
expensive [expensive expensively] adj.
I can't afford expensive restaurants.
costlyoverpriced|informal pricey
Opp: cheap, Opp: inexpensive
expensive/costly/pricey for sb/sth
expensive/costly to do sth  
Synonyms:
expensive
costly overpriced pricey
These word all describe sth that costs a lot of money.
expensivecosting a lot of money; charging high prices: I can't afford it— it's just too expensive for me. an expensive restaurant
costly(rather formal) costing a lot of money, especially more than you want to pay: You want to avoid costly legal proceedings if you can.
overpricedtoo expensive; costing more than it is worth: ridiculously overpriced designer clothes
pricey(informal) expensive: Houses in the village are now too pricey for local people to afford.
dear[not usually before noun] (BrE) expensive: Everything's so dear now, isn't it?
This word is starting to become rather old-fashioned.
expensive/costly/overpriced/pricey for sb/sth
expensive/costly to do sth
very/too/fairly/quite/pretty expensive/costly/pricey 
Example Bank:
Food in this country is getting very expensive.
Giving every patient an annual anti-flu injection would be prohibitively expensive.
Her suit looked extremely expensive.
I found the food very expensive.
Some of these legal cases are enormously expensive.
Walls are generally the greatest source of heat loss and correspondingly expensive to tackle.
discreetly expensive perfume
Art books are enormously expensive to produce.
I can't afford it— it's just too expensive for me.
Making the wrong decision could prove to be expensive.
• That dress was an expensive mistake.

• an expensive restaurant

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

expensive / ɪkˈspen.sɪv / adjective

A1 costing a lot of money:

Rolls Royces are very expensive.

Big houses are expensive to maintain.

She has expensive tastes (= she likes things that cost a lot of money) .

expensively / -li / adverb

Sarah is always expensively dressed (= wearing expensive clothes) .

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

expensive

/ɪkspensɪv/

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.

If something is expensive, it costs a lot of money.
Wine’s so expensive in this country...
I get very nervous because I’m using a lot of expensive equipment.

= costly

inexpensive

ADJ

ex‧pen‧sive‧ly
She was expensively dressed, with fine furs and jewels...

cheaply

ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

expensive

ex·pen·sive /ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/ adj [more ~; most ~] : costing a lot of money
• an expensive hobby
• an expensive car
expensive clothes
• The lights were expensive to install.
• They live in an expensive neighborhood. [=a neighborhood in which houses, apartments, etc., cost a lot to buy or rent]
• Her decision to leave the company proved to be an expensive mistake. [=a mistake that caused her to lose a lot of money]
• an expensive shop [=a shop that sells expensive things]
• He has expensive tastes. [=he likes expensive things]
- ex·pen·sive·ly adv
• He dresses expensively.

tight

tight [adjective] (UNCOMFORTABLE)
US /taɪt/ 
UK /taɪt/ 
Example: 

My shoes were so tight that I could hardly walk.

CLOTHES tight clothes fit your body very closely, especially in a way that is uncomfortable OPP loose

Persian equivalent: 
Example: 

My shoes were so tight that I could hardly walk.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

tight

 adjective (tighter, tightest)

pronunciation
The word tight sounds like white.

1 fixed firmly so that you cannot move it easily:
a tight knot
I can't open this jar of jam – the lid is too tight.
 opposite loose

2 Tight clothes fit very closely in a way that is often uncomfortable:
These shoes are too tight.
tight trousers

>> tight (also tightly ) adverb:
Hold tight!
I tied the string tightly around the box.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

tight

I. tight1 S2 W3 /taɪt/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative tighter, superlative tightest)
[Word Family: adverb: ↑tight, ↑tightly; verb: ↑tighten; noun: ↑tightness; adjective: ↑tight]
[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: thight 'closely packed, solid, thick' (14-19 centuries), probably from a Scandinavian language]
1. CLOTHES tight clothes fit your body very closely, especially in a way that is uncomfortable OPP loose:
tight jeans
My shoes were so tight that I could hardly walk.
The jacket is rather a tight fit (=it fits too tightly).
2. PULLED/STRETCHED FIRMLY string, wire, cloth etc that is tight has been pulled or stretched firmly so that it is straight or cannot move:
The bandage must be tight enough to stop the bleeding.
She tied the rope around the post and pulled it tight.
3. ATTACHED FIRMLY a screw, lid etc that is tight is firmly attached and difficult to move:
Check that the screws are tight.
4. HOLDING SOMETHING FIRMLY a tight hold/grip if you keep or have a tight hold on something, you hold it firmly:
His mother kept a tight hold on his hand.
5. STRICT controlling something very strictly or firmly:
The government is keeping tight control on immigration.
keep a tight grip/hold/rein on something (=control it very firmly)
The former dictator still keeps a tight grip on power.
Anna was determined to keep a tight hold on her feelings.
Security is always tight for the opening day of parliament.
run/keep a tight ship (=manage a company, organization etc strictly and effectively)
6. LITTLE MONEY if money is tight, you do not have enough of it
money is tight/things are tight
Money was tight and he needed a job badly.
As you know, I run the magazine on a pretty tight budget.
7. LITTLE TIME if time is tight, it is difficult for you to do everything you need to do in the time available:
Time is tight, and she has another meeting to go to this afternoon.
We should arrive on time, but it’ll be tight.
As usual, his schedule on Saturday was tight (=he had arranged to do several things in a short time).
I'm working to a very tight deadline (=I have to finish a piece of work very quickly).
8. LITTLE SPACE if space is tight, there is only just enough space to fit something into a place
be a tight squeeze/fit
Six in the car will be a tight squeeze.
9. NOT GENEROUS informal not generous, or trying hard to avoid spending money:
Don’t be so tight!
10. CLOSE TOGETHER placed or standing closely together:
The animal’s body was curled up in a tight little ball.
She wore her hair in a tight bun.
11. CLOSE RELATIONSHIP a tight group of people, countries etc have a close relationship with each other SYN tight-knit:
Together, the young film-makers formed a tight group.
the tight bonds that had grown between them
12. BEND/TURN a tight bend or turn is very curved and turns quickly in another direction:
Danny lost control on a tight bend, and the car ran off the road.
13. CHEST/STOMACH/THROAT if your chest, stomach, or throat feels tight, it feels painful and uncomfortable, because you are ill or worried:
Before she went on stage her chest felt tight and her throat hurt.
14. EXPRESSION/SMILE/VOICE a tight expression, smile, or voice shows that you are annoyed or worried SYN tight-lipped:
‘Look, I’m sorry ...,’ she said, forcing a tight smile.
15. DIFFICULT SITUATION in a tight corner/spot informal in a difficult situation:
He’s a good man to have around if ever you’re in a tight corner.
‘Did something go wrong?’ ‘Let’s just say I got into a bit of a tight spot.’
16. PLAY/PERFORMANCE playing a piece of music or giving a performance very exactly and well, without any pauses or mistakes:
The band gave a really tight performance.
a tight, well-rehearsed production
17. GAME/COMPETITION a tight game, competition etc is one in which the teams, players etc play equally well, and it is not easy to win:
The opening quarter of the game was very tight.
18. DRUNK [not before noun] old-fashioned informal drunk
—tightly adverb:
Marie held the baby tightly in her arms.
—tightness noun [uncountable]
⇨ ↑airtight, ↑watertight
• • •
THESAURUS
■ rule/law/system
strict a strict order or rule is one that must be obeyed: There are strict rules about keeping tax records. | He had strict instructions to return the key to me.
tight tight controls or limits are very strict about what is allowed and what is not allowed: The report recommends tighter controls on the advertising of alcohol. | There are tight regulations governing waste disposal.
tough tough laws or rules are very strict: They want tougher laws against drinking and driving. | The federal government is introducing tough new rules on immigration.
harsh harsh punishments or laws are very severe, often too severe: There are harsh penalties for drug trafficking. | The government has brought in harsh measures to combat the rioting taking place in many cities.
stringent controlling what people can do with rules that have very high standards: There are now stringent controls on pollution from all power stations. | stringent new food safety regulations

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

tight

tight [tight tighter tightest] adjective, adverb   [taɪt]    [taɪt] 

 

adjective (tight·er, tight·est

FIRM
1. held or fixed in position firmly; difficult to move or undo
He kept a tight grip on her arm.
• She twisted her hair into a tight knot.

• The screw was so tight that it wouldn't move.  

CLOTHES

2. fitting closely to your body and sometimes uncomfortable
She was wearing a tight pair of jeans.
These shoes are much too tight.
The new sweater was a tight fit.
Opp:  loose 

see also  skintight  

CONTROL

3. very strict and firm
to keep tight control over sth

• We need tighter security at the airport.  

STRETCHED

4. stretched or pulled so that it cannot stretch much further

• The rope was stretched tight.  

CLOSE TOGETHER

5. usually before noun with things or people packed closely together, leaving little space between them
• There was a tight group of people around the speaker.

• With six of us in the car it was a tight squeeze.  

MONEY/TIME

6. difficult to manage with because there is not enough
We have a very tight budget.
• The president has a tight schedule today.

• The deadline for finishing the project is too tight (= too soon).  

EXPRESSION/VOICE

7. looking or sounding anxious, upset, angry, etc
• ‘I'm sorry,’ she said, with a tight smile.

see also  uptight  

PART OF BODY

8. feeling painful or uncomfortable because of illness or emotion
Syn:  constricted
• He complained of having a tight chest.

• Her throat felt tight, just looking at her baby.  

RELATIONSHIP

9. having a close relationship with sb else or with other people
• It was a tight community and newcomers were not welcome.

see also  tight-knit  

BEND/CURVE

10. curving suddenly rather than gradually
• The driver slowed down at a tight bend in the road.

• The plane flew around in a tight circle.  

CONTEST/RACE

11. with runners, teams, etc. that seem to be equally good
Syn:  close

• a tight race  

NOT GENEROUS

12. (informal, disapproving) not wanting to spend much money; not generous
Syn:  mean

• He's very tight with his money.  

DRUNK

13. not usually before noun (old-fashioned, informal) drunk

Syn:  tipsy  

-TIGHT

14. (in compounds) not allowing the substance mentioned to enter
measures to make your home weathertight
see also  airtight, watertight   
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘healthy, vigorous’, later ‘firm, solid’): probably an alteration of thight ‘firm, solid’, later ‘close-packed, dense’, of Germanic origin; related to German dicht ‘dense, close’.  
Example Bank:
Every muscle in her face was drawn tight.
I think we'd better leave— time's getting very tight.
Keep the rope tight.
Security at the airport remains tight.
The cloth was stretched tight over the frame.
The rope suddenly went tight.
Those jeans are getting too tight for me.
She managed to reverse into a tight parking space.
The screw was so tight that it wouldn't move.
With six of us in the car it was a tight squeeze.
Are the controls tight enough?
Those jeans have got too tight and I can't wear them any more.
Idioms: keep a tight rein on somebody  run a tight ship  tight spot

Derived Word: tightness 

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

tight / taɪt / adjective (UNCOMFORTABLE)

B1 Clothes or shoes that are tight fit the body too closely and are uncomfortable:

That jacket's too tight - you want a bigger size.

If you have a tight feeling in your chest you have an uncomfortable feeling of pressure, caused by illness, fear, etc.

tightness / ˈtaɪt.nəs / noun [ U ]
 

tight / taɪt / adjective (LIMITING)

B2 Controls or rules that are tight are ones that severely limit what can happen:

tight security

 

tightness / ˈtaɪt.nəs / noun [ U ]

 

tight / taɪt / adjective (NOT MUCH)

B2 If time or money is tight, there is only just enough of it:

I'm sorry I can't stop, time's really tight.

They're raising three kids on one small salary so money is very tight.

 

tightness / ˈtaɪt.nəs / noun [ U ]
 

tight / taɪt / adjective informal disapproving (NOT GENEROUS)

→  tight-fisted

tightness / ˈtaɪt.nəs / noun [ U ]
 

tight / taɪt / adjective old-fashioned informal (DRUNK)

having drunk too much alcohol:

Jim, you're tight!

→  Synonym drunk adjective
 

tight / taɪt / adjective informal (RELATIONSHIP)

If you are tight with someone, you know them very well and like them a lot:

We're tight - we've been best friends since we were at school.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

tight

/taɪt/
(tighter, tightest)

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.

1.
Tight clothes or shoes are rather small and fit closely to your body.
His jeans were too tight.
loose
ADJ
tight‧ly
He buttoned his collar tightly round his thick neck.
ADV: ADV with v

2.
If you hold someone or something tight, you hold them firmly and securely.
She just fell into my arms, clutching me tight for a moment...
Hold on tight!
ADV: ADV after v

Tight is also an adjective.
As he and Henrietta passed through the gate he kept a tight hold of her arm.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
tight‧ly
She climbed back into bed and wrapped her arms tightly round her body.
ADV: ADV after v

3.
Tight controls or rules are very strict.
The measures include tight control of media coverage...
Security is tight this week at the polling sites.
ADJ
tight‧ly
The internal media was tightly controlled by the government during the war.
ADV: ADV after v, ADV -ed

4.
Something that is shut tight is shut very firmly.
I keep the flour and sugar in individual jars, sealed tight with their glass lids...
She kept her eyes tight closed.
ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v
tight‧ly
Pemberton frowned and closed his eyes tightly...
ADV: ADV after v, ADV -ed

5.
Skin, cloth, or string that is tight is stretched or pulled so that it is smooth or straight.
My skin feels tight and lacking in moisture...
ADJ
tight‧ly
Her sallow skin was drawn tightly across the bones of her face.
ADV: ADV with v

6.
Tight is used to describe a group of things or an amount of something that is closely packed together.
She curled up in a tight ball, with her knees tucked up at her chin...
The men came in a tight group.
ADJ: usu ADJ n

Tight is also an adverb.
The people sleep on sun loungers packed tight, end to end.
ADV
tight‧ly
Many animals travel in tightly packed lorries and are deprived of food, water and rest.
ADV: ADV after v, ADV -ed

7.
If a part of your body is tight, it feels rather uncomfortable and painful, for example because you are ill, anxious, or angry.
It is better to stretch the tight muscles first...
= taut
ADJ
tight‧ness
Heart disease often shows itself first as pain or tightness in the chest.
N-UNCOUNT

8.
A tight group of people is one whose members are closely linked by beliefs, feelings, or interests.
We’re a tight group, so we do keep in touch.
= close
ADJ

9.
A tight bend or corner is one that changes direction very quickly so that you cannot see very far round it.
They collided on a tight bend and both cars were extensively damaged.
= sharp
ADJ: usu ADJ n

10.
A tight schedule or budget allows very little time or money for unexpected events or expenses.
It’s difficult to cram everything into a tight schedule...
Financially things are a bit tight.
ADJ

11.
A tight contest is one where none of the competitors has a clear advantage or looks likely to win, so that it is difficult to say who the winner will be.
It was a very tight match...
ADJ

12.
If you say that someone is tight, you disapprove of them because they are unwilling to spend their money. (INFORMAL)
What about getting new ones–Are you so tight you won’t even spend three roubles?
= tight-fisted, mean, stingy
ADJ [disapproval]

13.
see also airtight, skin-tight

14.
If you are in a tight corner or in a tight spot, you are in a difficult situation. (INFORMAL)
That puts the president in a tight spot if the vote is not a resounding ‘yes’...
PHRASE: usu prep PHR

15.
You can say ‘sleep tight’ to someone when they are going to bed as an affectionate way of saying that you hope they will sleep well.
Good night, Davey. Sleep tight.
CONVENTION

16.
to keep a tight rein on: see rein
to sit tight: see sit

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1tight /ˈtaɪt/ adj tight·er; -est
1 : difficult to move : fastened, attached, or held in a position that is not easy to move
• The lid is too tight. I can't loosen it.
• She made a tight knot in the rope.
• Keep a tight grip/hold on his hand when you cross the street.
- opposite loose
2 : fitting very close to your body
tight [=snug] T-shirts
• a tight pair of jeans = a pair of tight jeans
• These shoes are too tight. [=they are too small]
• a tight bandage
- opposite loose; see also skintight
3 : flat or firm from being pulled or stretched
• a tight wire/string
• Pull the ribbon tight and make a bow.
- opposite loose
4 : tense or stiff : not relaxed
• Her muscles were tight.
• His throat/chest felt tight.
• a tight smile
• She answered in a tight voice.
- opposite loose
5 : hard and muscular
• an athlete with a tight stomach/body
• He has tight abs.
6 : having parts that are very close together
• The cat was curled into a tight ball.
• a fabric with a tight weave
• The swimming goggles should create a tight seal around your eyes.
- see also airtight, watertight
7 : not having or allowing much room
• Space was tight at their first home. [=their first home was small; they did not have much room]
• There's a tight space you can crawl through underneath the house.
• The tunnel gets pretty tight up ahead.
• We got everything into the suitcase, but it was a tight squeeze. [=the suitcase was very full/packed]
8 : not having or allowing much time
• We are on a tight schedule.
• The project has a very tight deadline.
• Time was tight, so we couldn't stay long.
9 : close or equal in score, progress, or ability
• It was a very tight race/game.
• It was one of the tightest presidential elections in history.
• The teams play in a tight division.
10 : not allowing much freedom : strict about controlling what happens
• She kept a tight hand on the business. [=she controlled the business in a very strict way]
• The mayor put tighter security in place for the concert.
• He has people working for him, but he has/keeps a tight rein on every part of the process.
11 : difficult or awkward
• You've put me in a tight spot. [=a difficult position]
• They were in a tight spot financially. [=they did not have much money; they were having financial problems]
12 a : low in supply : not easily available
• We can't afford a vacation right now because money is tight. [=scarce]
• Jobs are tight right now. [=there are not many jobs available right now]
b
- used to describe a situation that is difficult because there is not enough of something
• Things have been a little tight [=money has been scarce] since I lost my job.
• a tight job market [=a situation in which there are few jobs]
13 informal + usually disapproving : not giving or spending money freely : stingy or cheap
• He's pretty tight with his money.
14 : having a close personal or professional relationship
• We've been tight [=very friendly] for a long time.
• a tight group of friends
- often + with
• She's tight with the boss.
15 : curving or changing direction suddenly
• There is a tight [=sharp] bend in the road up ahead.
• Make a tight right turn at the traffic light.
16 informal + old-fashioned : very drunk
• getting tight at a bar
run a tight ship
- see 1ship
- tight·ly adv
• The shirt fits too tightly around the arms.
• The luggage was secured tightly to the top of the car.
• Hold on tightly to the railing.
• shelves packed tightly with books
• a tightly knit [=tight-knit] family
- tight·ness noun [noncount]
• He felt some muscle tightness in his back.

clean

clean [adjective] (NOT DIRTY)
US /kliːn/ 
UK /kliːn/ 
Example: 

Are your hands clean?

NOT DIRTY without any dirt, marks etc

Persian equivalent: 
Example: 

Are your hands clean?

Oxford Essential Dictionary

adjective (cleaner, cleanest)
not dirty:
clean clothes
Are your hands clean?
 opposite dirty

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

clean

I. clean1 S2 W2 /kliːn/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative cleaner, superlative cleanest)
[Word Family: noun: ↑cleaner, ↑cleaning, ↑cleanliness, ↑clean, ↑cleanser; verb: ↑clean, ↑cleanse; adverb: ↑clean, ↑cleanly; adjective: ↑clean ≠ ↑unclean]
[Language: Old English; Origin: clæne]
1. NOT DIRTY without any dirt, marks etc OPP dirty:
Are your hands clean?
clean towels
Make sure you keep the wound clean.
Wipe that sink clean when you’re done.
As usual, she left her room clean and tidy before going to school.
a spotlessly clean kitchen
I want you to get those plates as clean as a whistle.
2. PEOPLE/ANIMALS having a clean appearance and habits:
Cats are naturally clean.
3. ENVIRONMENT containing or producing nothing that is dirty or harmful ⇨ cleanly
clean air/water/energy etc
the Clean Air Act
cleaner fuels
4. FAIR OR LEGAL
a) done in a fair or legal way OPP dirty:
a clean fight
b) showing that you have followed the rules:
a clean driving licence
He’s got a clean record.
c) [not before noun] informal not hiding any weapons or illegal drugs:
They searched him, but he was clean.
d) [not before noun] no longer taking illegal drugs:
Dave’s been clean for two years now.
5. NOT OFFENSIVE talk, jokes, behaviour etc that are clean are not offensive or about sex OPP dirty:
Oh, don’t get mad – it’s just good clean fun!
Keep it clean (=do not offend people with what you say).
clean living (=a way of life which is healthy and moral)
6. come clean informal to finally tell the truth about something you have been hiding
come clean about
The government should come clean about its plans.
7. make a clean breast of it to admit that you have done something wrong so that you no longer feel guilty
8. a clean break
a complete and sudden separation from a person, organization, or situation:
Den left the next day, needing to make a clean break.
9. clean sheet/slate a record of someone’s work, behaviour, performance etc that shows they have not done anything wrong or made any mistakes:
Jed looked forward to starting life again with a clean sheet.
Lewis has kept a clean sheet in every game (=not let the other team score).
10. clean hands if a person, government, organization etc has clean hands, they have done something in a fair or legal way:
Neither side is coming to the negotiating table with completely clean hands.
11. PAPER a piece of paper that is clean has not yet been used SYN fresh
12. SMOOTH having a smooth or regular edge or surface ⇨ cleanly:
a clean cut
Use a clean simple typeface for signs.
13. a clean bill of health a report that says you are healthy or that a machine or building is safe:
Inspectors gave the factory a clean bill of health.
14. a clean sweep
a) a very impressive victory in a competition, election etc
a clean sweep for
All the polls had pointed to a clean sweep for the Democrats.
Hopes that the French would make a clean sweep at the Games were dashed.
b) a complete change in a company or organization, often by removing people
15. TASTE having a fresh pleasant taste:
Add a little lemon juice to give the pasta a cool clean taste.
16. clean copy a piece of writing without mistakes or other marks written on it
17. MOVEMENT a clean movement in sport is skilful and exact:
He steadied his arm, hoping for a clean shot.
—cleanness noun [uncountable]
⇨ ↑clean-cut, ⇨ keep your nose clean at ↑nose1(9)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
clean clothes He had a shower and changed into clean clothes.
a clean shirt/sheet/towel etc Where are all my clean socks?
clean hands Make sure you have clean hands before you eat.
■ verbs
keep something clean You should always keep your kitchen clean.
wipe something clean (=use a cloth to clean a surface) He started to wipe the blackboard clean.
sweep/scrub something clean (=use a brush to clean something) She quickly swept the floor clean.
leave something clean Please leave the apartment clean when you go.
■ adverbs
spotlessly/scrupulously clean (=very clean) Hospitals must be kept scrupulously clean.
squeaky clean (=completely clean) I like my hair to be squeaky clean.
■ phrases
nice and clean (=clean) Their job is to keep the streets nice and clean.
clean and tidy especially BrE: I insist my children keep their rooms clean and tidy.
neat and clean especially AmE: Her kids were always neat and clean.
clean as a whistle (=very clean) The place was clean as a whistle.
• • •
THESAURUS
clean without any dirt or marks: They need clean water to drink. | I don’t have any clean clothes.
pure water or air that is pure does not contain any dirt, pollution, or bacteria: I breathed in the pure mountain air.
sterile /ˈsteraɪl $ -rəl/ completely clean, with no bacteria, and therefore safe for medical or scientific use: Place a sterile bandage on the wound. | sterile needles
spotless completely clean – used mainly about rooms and clothes: Her kitchen is always spotless.
pristine /ˈprɪstiːn/ completely clean and new-looking: He wore a pristine white shirt.
immaculate as clean and tidy as it is possible to be: The soldiers’ uniforms have to be immaculate.
spick and span [not before noun] informal clean and tidy, especially after having just been cleaned: By the end of the day, the whole place was spick and span.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

clean

clean [clean cleans cleaned cleaning cleaner cleanest] adjective, verb, adverb, noun   [kliːn]    [kliːn] 

adjective (clean·er, clean·est

NOT DIRTY
1. not dirty
Are your hands clean?
to wipe sth clean
The hotel was spotlessly (= extremely) clean.
(BrE) It is your responsibility to keep the room clean and tidy.
(NAmE) Keep your room neat and clean.

• I can't find a clean shirt (= one I haven't worn since it was washed).

2. having a clean appearance and clean surroundings

• Cats are very clean animals.  

NOT HARMFUL

3. free from harmful or unpleasant substances
clean drinking water
clean air
We all want a cleaner environment but who is going to pay for it?
cleaner cars (= not producing so many harmful substances)

• Electric buses are a clean, environmentally friendly way to travel.  

PAPER

4. usually before noun with nothing written on it

• a clean sheet of paper  

NOT OFFENSIVE

5. not offensive or referring to sex; not doing anything that is considered immoral or bad
The entertainment was good clean fun for the whole family.
• Keep the jokes clean please!

• The sport has a very clean image.  

NOT ILLEGAL

6. not showing or having any record of doing sth that is against the law
a clean driving licence/driver's license

• a clean police record

7. (informal) not owning or carrying anything illegal such as drugs or weapons

• The police searched her but she was clean.  

FAIR

8. played or done in a fair way and within the rules

• It was a tough but clean game.  

SMOOTH/SIMPLE

9. having a smooth edge, surface or shape; simple and regular
• A sharp knife makes a clean cut.

• a modern design with clean lines and a bright appearance  

ACCURATE

10. done in a skilful and accurate way

• The plane made a clean take-off.  

TASTE/SMELL

11. tasting, smelling or looking pleasant and fresh
The wine has a clean taste and a lovely golden colour.
compare  unclean 
more at keep your nose clean at  nose  n., wipe the slate clean at  wipe  v.  
Word Origin:
Old English clǣne, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German klein ‘small’.  
Thesaurus:
clean adj.
Are your hands clean?
puresterilehygienicspotless
Opp: dirty
clean/pure/sterile (drinking) water
clean/sterile/hygienic conditions
keep sth clean/pure/sterile/spotless 
Example Bank:
I scrubbed the floor to get it clean.
Is your room clean and tidy now?
It's almost clean. I just have to wipe the table.
Please leave the kitchen clean.
She wiped all the surfaces clean.
The bathroom doesn't stay clean for long.
The room smelled clean and fresh.
The water was lovely and clean.
The whole house was spotlessly clean.
You're supposed to keep your room clean.
Fiscal incentives will be introduced to encourage the use of cleaner cars.
He wiped his plate clean with a piece of bread.
I can't find a clean shirt.
It is your responsibility to keep the room clean and tidy.
• Keep your room neat and clean.

• Thousands were left without food or clean drinking water.

 

Idioms: as clean as a whistle  clean bill of health  clean break  clean house  clean sheet  clean up your act  come clean  make a clean breast of something  make a clean sweep

Derived: clean somebody out  clean something down  clean something off  clean something off something  clean something out  clean something up  clean up 

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

clean / kliːn / adjective (NOT DIRTY)

A1 not dirty:

a clean white shirt

clean air/water

Make sure your hands are clean before you have your dinner.

Hospitals need to be kept spotlessly (= extremely) clean.
 

clean / kliːn / adjective (HONEST)

C2 honest or fair, or showing that you have not done anything illegal:

a good clean fight/contest

The judge took the defendant's clean record (= the absence of previous involvement in crime) into account when passing sentence.

I've always had a clean driving licence .

slang not doing anything illegal, or not having or carrying illegal drugs or stolen goods:

The police busted Pete last night, but he was clean.
 

clean / kliːn / adjective (MORAL)

morally acceptable:

It's all good clean fun .

clean living

not about sex:

Can't you think of any clean jokes ?
 

clean / kliːn / adjective (NOT ROUGH)

having no rough edges, and smooth, straight, or equally balanced:

I've broken my leg, but the doctor says that it's a clean break , so it should heal easily.

A good clean hit from Pietersen sent the ball straight out to the boundary.

What he liked about the car was its clean lines .

I tried to make a clean cut , but the knife wasn't sharp enough.

 

clean / kliːn / adjective [ before noun ] (COMPLETE)

complete:

It's better for both of us if we make a clean break (of it) (= end our relationship completely) .

Sara says she needs a clean break with the past.

The new prime minister is expected to make a clean sweep (= a complete change) of the government.

 

clean / kliːn / adjective [ before noun ] (NOTHING ON)

When something you write on is clean, there is nothing on it or it is not yet used:

Take a clean sheet of paper.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

clean

/kli:n/
(cleaner, cleanest, cleans, cleaning, cleaned)

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.

1.
Something that is clean is free from dirt or unwanted marks.
He wore his cleanest slacks, a clean shirt and a navy blazer...
Disease has not been a problem because clean water is available...
The metro is efficient and spotlessly clean...
dirty
ADJ

2.
You say that people or animals are clean when they keep themselves or their surroundings clean.
dirty
ADJ

3.
A clean fuel or chemical process does not create many harmful or polluting substances.
Fans of electric cars say they are clean, quiet and economical.
dirty
ADJ
clean‧ly
Manufacturers are working with new fuels to find one that burns more cleanly than petrol.
ADV: ADV after v

4.
If you clean something or clean dirt off it, you make it free from dirt and unwanted marks, for example by washing or wiping it. If something cleans easily, it is easy to clean.
Her father cleaned his glasses with a paper napkin...
It took half an hour to clean the orange powder off the bath...
Wood flooring not only cleans easily, but it’s environmentally friendly into the bargain.
VERB: V n, V n prep/adv, V adv

Clean is also a noun.
Give the cooker a good clean.
N-SING

5.
If you clean a room or house, you make the inside of it and the furniture in it free from dirt and dust.
With them also lived Mary Burinda, who cooked and cleaned...
She got up early and cleaned the flat.
VERB: V, V n
clean‧ing
I do the cleaning myself.
N-UNCOUNT

6.
If you describe something such as a book, joke, or lifestyle as clean, you think that they are not sexually immoral or offensive.
They’re trying to show clean, wholesome, decent movies...
Flirting is good clean fun...
dirty
ADJ [approval]

7.
If someone has a clean reputation or record, they have never done anything illegal or wrong.
Accusations of tax evasion have tarnished his clean image...
You can hire these from most car hire firms, provided you have a clean driving licence.
ADJ

8.
A clean game or fight is carried out fairly, according to the rules.
He called for a clean fight in the election and an end to ‘negative campaigning’...
= fair
dirty
ADJ: usu ADJ n
clean‧ly
The game had been cleanly fought.
ADV: ADV after v, ADV -ed

9.
A clean sheet of paper has no writing or drawing on it.
Take a clean sheet of paper and down the left-hand side make a list.
= blank
ADJ: usu ADJ n

10.
If you make a clean break or start, you end a situation completely and start again in a different way.
She wanted to make a clean break from her mother and father.
ADJ: ADJ n

11.
Clean is used to emphasize that something was done completely. (INFORMAL)
It burned clean through the seat of my overalls...
I clean forgot everything I had prepared.
ADV: usu ADV prep/adv, also ADV before v [emphasis]

12.
You can describe an action as clean to indicate that it is carried out simply and quickly without mistakes.
They were more concerned about the dogs’ welfare than a clean getaway...
messy
ADJ: usu ADJ n
clean‧ly
I struck the ball cleanly and my shot was on target.
ADV: ADV after v, ADV -ed

13.
If you come clean about something that you have been keeping secret, you admit it or tell people about it. (INFORMAL)
It would be better if you come clean about it and let her know what kind of man she is seeing.
PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR about/on n

14.
to clean up your act: see act
to keep your nose clean: see nose
a clean slate: see slate
to wipe the slate clean: see slate
a clean sweep: see sweep
clean as a whistle: see whistle

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1clean /ˈkliːn/ adj clean·er; -est
1 : free from dirt, marks, etc. : not dirty
• a clean floor
• This table isn't clean. There's a sticky spot where something spilled.
• He keeps a very clean house.
• The janitor does a good job of keeping the office clean.
clean laundry/socks/towels/sheets
• I wiped the baby's face clean.
2 : tending to keep clean
• He's a clean young man.
• Cats are very clean animals.
3 a : free from pollution or other dangerous substances
clean air/water
b : not causing pollution
• Solar power provides clean energy.
• a clean fuel
4 a : not yet used
• a clean [=blank, fresh] piece/sheet of paper
b of a document : not having any mistakes
• We need a clean copy of the document.
5 : not infected
• a clean wound
6 : pleasingly simple
• I like the clean simplicity of the chair's design.
• She wore a formal wool suit with clean lines.
7 : having edges that are straight and smooth
• a clean cut
• The vase was broken, but it was a clean break and easily repaired with a little glue.
8 : completely and quickly done
• The bank robbers made a clean getaway.
• When he left home, he made a clean break with the past. [=he completely separated himself from everything that had been part of his life]
9 sports : done in a skillful and impressive way without mistakes or awkwardness
• a clean dive/catch/hit
• The gymnast made a clean landing.
10 : not showing evidence of any broken rules or laws
• She has a clean driving record.
- see also clean slate (below)
11 a : not connected with or involving anything illegal or morally wrong
• a clean candidate
• They believe in hard work and clean living.
• The party was good, clean fun.
b : not referring to anything sexual or offensive
• Only clean jokes, please. There are children here.
clean language
12 not used before a noun : no longer using drugs : not addicted to drugs
• He's been clean for five years.
clean and sober
13 not used before a noun informal : not carrying any weapons, drugs, etc.
• All visitors to the prison are searched to make sure they're clean.
• I checked her; she's clean.
clean as a whistle
- see 1whistle
clean slate also Brit clean sheet
1 : a person's record (as from a school or a job) that shows no evidence of any problems, broken rules, etc. : a clean record
• Everyone who comes to this school starts with a clean slate.
2 clean sheet Brit : a game in which the opposing team is prevented from scoring
• The team's star goalie has had five clean sheets [=(US) shutouts] this season. [=has prevented the other team from scoring in five games]
clean sweep
1 : a victory in which one side or team wins every game, contest, etc.
• The Red Sox won the series in a clean sweep.
• The election was a clean sweep for local Democratic candidates.
2 : a complete change in something
• The new governor has made a clean sweep of the staff in the governor's mansion. [=the new governor completely replaced the former governor's staff]
come clean informal : to tell the truth about what happened : to stop hiding the truth
• Eventually she came clean and helped the police recover the goods she'd stolen.
• He's finally come clean about his role in the scandal.
give (someone or something) a clean bill of health
- see 1bill
keep your nose clean
- see 1nose
make a clean breast of
- see 1breast
wipe the slate clean
- see 1wipe
- clean·ness /ˈkliːnnəs/ noun [noncount]
• the cleanness of the image

small

small [adjective] (LITTLE)
US /smɑːl/ 
UK /smɔːl/ 
Example: 

The T-shirt was too small for him.

not large in size or amount

Persian equivalent: 
Example: 

The T-shirt was too small for him.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

small

 adjective (smaller, smallest)

1 not big; little:
This dress is too small for me.
My house is smaller than yours.

2 young:
They have two small children.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

small

I. small1 S1 W1 /smɔːl $ smɒːl/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative smaller, superlative smallest)
[Language: Old English; Origin: smæl]
1. SIZE not large in size or amount:
a small piece of paper
a small car
a small town
a small dark woman
The T-shirt was too small for him.
The sweater comes in three sizes – small, medium, and large.
Only a relatively small number of people were affected.
a small amount of money
A much smaller proportion of women are employed in senior positions.
2. NOT IMPORTANT a small problem, job, mistake etc is not important or does not have a large effect SYN minor:
We may have to make a few small changes.
There’s been a small problem.
There’s only a small difference between them.
It was good to feel we had helped in some small way.
3. no small degree/achievement/task etc a large degree, achievement etc:
The success of the project is due in no small measure to the work of Dr Peterson.
That is no small achievement in the circumstances.
4. YOUNG a small child is young:
She has three small children.
I’ve known him since he was a small boy.
5. small business/firm/farmer etc a business that does not involve large amounts of money or does not employ a large number of people:
grants for small businesses
6. LETTER small letters are letters in the form a, b, c etc rather than A, B, C etc SYN lower case OPP capital
7. conservative with a small 'c'/democrat with a small 'd' etc informal someone who believes in the principles you have mentioned, but does not belong to an organized group or political party
8. VOICE a small voice is quiet and soft:
‘What about me?’ she asked in a small voice.
9. look/feel small to seem or feel stupid, unimportant, or ashamed:
She jumped at any opportunity to make me look small.
10. (it’s a) small world especially spoken used to express surprise when you unexpectedly meet someone you know or find out that someone has an unexpected connection to you:
Did you know David went to school with my brother? It’s a small world, isn’t it?
11. a small fortune a large amount of money
cost/spend/pay a small fortune
It must have cost him a small fortune.
12. small change coins of low value:
I didn’t have any small change for the parking meter.
13. be thankful/grateful for small mercies/favours to be pleased that a bad situation is not even worse:
She wasn’t too badly hurt, so we should be thankful for small mercies.
14. the small hours (also the wee small hours British English) the early morning hours, between about one and four o'clock
in/into the small hours
He finally fell exhausted into bed in the small hours.
The party continued into the wee small hours.
15. small arms guns that you hold with one or both hands when firing them
16. something is small potatoes (also something is small beer British English) informal used to say that someone or something is not important, especially when compared to other people or things:
Even with £10,000 to invest, you are still small beer for most investment managers.
—small adverb:
He writes so small I can’t read it.
—smallness noun [uncountable]
• • •
THESAURUS
small not large in size, amount, or effect: a small boat | small businesses | a small amount of money | small changes
little [usually before noun] small – used about objects, places, and living things. Used especially with other adjectives to show how you feel about someone or something: It’s a very pretty little town. | The poor little dog has hurt its leg. | The cake was decorated with little flowers.
low used about prices, rents, levels, or standards: People on low incomes are finding it difficult to pay fuel bills. | The crime rate in the area is relatively low.
slight [usually before noun] small and not very important or not very noticeable: a slight problem | There’s been a slight improvement in his health. | a slight increase in sales
minor small and not important or not serious: minor injuries | We’ve made some minor changes to the program.
compact small – used about places, buildings etc in which space is used effectively, or about phones, cameras, cars etc which are designed to be much smaller than usual: The apartments are very compact. | a compact camera | It is a pleasant and compact city.
poky especially British English used about a room, house etc that is too small: a poky bedroom | a poky flat
cramped used about a space, room, or vehicle that is too small because people do not have enough room to move around: They all lived together in a cramped apartment. | The car feels cramped with four adults in it.
■ very small
tiny very small – used about objects, numbers, or amounts: a tiny island | Dairy foods provide your body with a tiny amount of vitamin D.
teeny informal very small - used for emphasis: I'll just have a teeny bit of cream. | There's just one teeny little problem. | a teeny little house
minute extremely small and extremely difficult to see or notice: They found minute traces of poison in his body. | The differences are minute. | minute creatures
miniature a miniature camera, watch, railway etc is made in a very small size. A miniature horse, dog etc is bred to be a very small size: The spy used a miniature camera. | the fashion for miniature pets
microscopic extremely small and impossible to see without special equipment: microscopic organisms | microscopic particles of dust
minuscule /ˈmɪnəskjuːl, ˈmɪnɪskjuːl/ extremely small in a surprising way: She was wearing a minuscule bikini. | The threat from terrorism is minuscule compared to other risks in our lives.
itty-bitty/itsy-bitsy [only before noun] American English informal very small: An itty-bitty little bug crawled across his forehead. | We stayed at some itty-bitty hotel in a back street.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

small

small [small smalls smaller smallest] adjective, adverb, noun   [smɔːl]    [smɔːl] 

adjective (small·er, small·est

NOT LARGE
1. not large in size, number, degree, amount, etc
a small house/town/car/man
A much smaller number of students passed than I had expected.
They're having a relatively small wedding.
• That dress is too small for you.

• ‘I don't agree,’ he said in a small (= quiet) voice.

2. (abbr. S) used to describe one size in a range of sizes of clothes, food, products used in the house, etc.
• small, medium, large

• This is too big— have you got a small one?

3. not as big as sth else of the same kind

• the small intestine  

YOUNG

4. young
They have three small children.
• We travelled around a lot when I was small.

• As a small boy he had spent most of his time with his grandparents.  

NOT IMPORTANT

5. slight; not important
I made only a few small changes to the report.
She noticed several small errors in his work.
Everything had been planned down to the smallest detail.
It was no small achievement getting her to agree to the deal.

• Don't worry. It's only a small problem.  

BUSINESS

6. usually before noun not doing business on a very large scale
• a small farmer

• The government is planning to give more help to small businesses.  

LETTERS

7. usually before noun not written or printed as capitals
Should I write ‘god’ with a small ‘g’ or a capital?

• She's a socialist with a small ‘s’ (= she has socialist  ideas but is not a member of a socialist  party).  

NOT MUCH

8. only before noun (used with uncountable nouns) little; not much
The government has small cause for optimism.
They have small hope of succeeding.
more at a big fish (in a small pond) at  big  adj., great and small at  great  adj., the small/early hoursthe wee small hours at  hour, a/the still small voice at  still  adj., don't sweat the small stuff at  sweat  v., in a big/small way at  way  n., (it's) no/little/small wonder (that)… at  wonder  n.  
Word Origin:
Old English smæl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch smal and German schmal.  
Thesaurus:
small adj.
1.
That dress is too small for you.
littletinyminiaturecompactminutemicroscopic
Opp: large, Opp: big
a small/little/tiny/miniature house/town/room
a small/little/tiny/minute/microscopic detail
a small/little/tiny baby/child
Small or little? Small is the most usual opposite of big or large. Little is often used to show how you feel about sb/sth, especially after other adjectives such as ugly, nice or cute.
2. usually before noun
I've made a few small changes to the report.
slightminormodestminimalmarginal|especially spoken little|especially written negligibleunimportant
Opp: big, Opp: major
a small/slight/minor/modest/minimal/marginal/little change/difference/improvement
a small/modest/minimal/negligible amount
a small/slight/minor/little error/mistake/defect/accident/problem
Small or slight? Use either word to talk about changes or problems. Use slight but not small to talk about medical problems, feelings or things that affect the senses; use small but not slight to talk about amounts
a slight cold/headache/movement/touch
a small amount/number/quantity, etc.
 
Example Bank:
Choose plants that will stay small.
Employers, large and small, face massive fines.
My coat was rather small for Bob.
Technology has made the world smaller.
The gap seemed to be getting smaller.
The kite grew smaller and smaller and finally disappeared altogether.
The phones are getting smaller and smaller.
Add a small amount of liquid to the mixture.
Can I ask you a small favour?
Don't worry. It's only a small problem.
He has incredibly small handwriting.
He would try anything to make her even the smallest degree happier.
She comes from a small town in the Mid-West.
The T-shirts come in small, medium and large.
The candidate with the smallest number of votes has to stand down.
Their apartment's pretty small.
These shoes are too big. Do you have some in a smaller size?
They're having a relatively small wedding.
You can grow a stunning display of flowers even in the smallest garden.
a slight/small adjustment/alteration/amendment/change/improvement/reduction/rise/variation
a slight/small mistake/error/defect/flaw/blemish/discrepancy/problem/snag/accident
• a small amount/number/quantity/degree/proportion/minority

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

small / smɔːl /   / smɑːl / adjective (LITTLE)

A1 little in size or amount when compared with what is typical or average:

a small dog/house/car/country

I'd rather live in a small town than a big city.

Would you like a large or small cola with your burger?

Ella is the smallest girl in her class.

That jacket's too small for you.

He's small for his age.

Only a small number of applicants are successful.

The number of women in parliament is pitifully (= extremely) small.

Liqueurs are usually drunk in small quantities .

 

smallness / ˈsmɔːl.nəs /   / ˈsmɑːl- / noun [ U ]

The smallness of the city often surprises first-time visitors.
 

small / smɔːl /   / smɑːl / adjective (YOUNG)

A1 describes a very young child that is older than a baby:

Looking after small children can be very tiring.

 

smallness / ˈsmɔːl.nəs /   / ˈsmɑːl- / noun [ U ]

The smallness of the city often surprises first-time visitors.
 

small / smɔːl /   / smɑːl / adjective [ before noun ] (LIMITED ACTIVITY)

limited in the amount of an activity:

The government should give more help to small businessmen (= people whose businesses are of a limited size) .

Chris is quite a small eater so he won't want much.

If you can help us in a small way (= to a limited degree) it would be greatly appreciated.
 

small / smɔːl /   / smɑːl / adjective (NOT IMPORTANT)

A2 not very important or not likely to cause problems:

She just made a couple of small mistakes in the test.

I have a small problem I would like to discuss with you.
 

small / smɔːl /   / smɑːl / adjective (ASHAMED)

ashamed or weak:

Talking to her makes me feel small.

He's always trying to make me look small in front of my boss.

 

smallness / ˈsmɔːl.nəs /   / ˈsmɑːl- / noun [ U ]

The smallness of the city often surprises first-time visitors.
 

small / smɔːl /   / smɑːl / adjective (LETTER SIZE)

[ before noun ] describes letters that are not capital letters:

The poet e. e. cummings wrote his name with small letters, not capital letters.

UK A conservative with a small 'c' is someone who has traditional values, such as disliking change in society, rather than being a member or supporter of the Conservative Party. We can use this structure with other words to say something is more general or less extreme than the usual meaning:

Management is all about politics with a small 'p'.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

small

/smɔ:l/
(smaller, smallest)

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.

1.
A small person, thing, or amount of something is not large in physical size.
She is small for her age...
The window was far too small for him to get through...
Stick them on using a small amount of glue.
large
ADJ
small‧ness
Amy had not mentioned the smallness and bareness of Luis’s home.
largeness
N-UNCOUNT

2.
A small group or quantity consists of only a few people or things.
A small group of students meets regularly to learn Japanese...
Guns continued to be produced in small numbers.
large
ADJ

3.
A small child is a very young child.
I have a wife and two small children...
What were you like when you were small?
= young, little
ADJ

4.
You use small to describe something that is not significant or great in degree.
It’s quite easy to make quite small changes to the way that you work...
No detail was too small to escape her attention...
= minor
major
ADJ

5.
Small businesses or companies employ a small number of people and do business with a small number of clients.
...shops, restaurants and other small businesses...
ADJ

6.
If someone makes you look or feel small, they make you look or feel stupid or ashamed.
This may just be another of her schemes to make me look small...
ADJ: v-link ADJ

7.
The small of your back is the bottom part of your back that curves in slightly.
Place your hands on the small of your back and breathe in.
N-SING: the N of n

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1small /ˈsmɑːl/ adj small·er; -est [also more ~; most ~]
1 : little in size
• They live in a small house.
• a small glass of soda
• She moved to a smaller town.
• The toy is small enough to fit in my pocket.
• He has small hands.
• This room is a little smaller than that one.
2 : few in number or little in amount
• a small crowd/group/company/party/school
• a small supply/number
• The movie was a small success.
• There is a small [=slight] chance that they can still win.
- see also small hours at hour
3 : not very important : minor
• a small matter
• There are still a few small details we have to deal with.
• It's only a small mistake.
• The change had only a small impact on the community.
4 : very young
• I loved the playground when I was small.
• a small boy
• They have two small children.
5 : involving or including few people, things, etc.
• She works for a small company.
small businesses/dealers/investors
• a small advertising campaign
• a small fund-raiser
6 : lowercase
• The first letter is a capital, but the rest are small.
7 : very soft and quiet
• a small voice
8 : foolish or ashamed
• He's just trying to make you feel small.
• He felt very small to be caught cheating.
a big fish in a small pond
- see 1fish
in no small measure : to a great degree : largely or mostly
• A child's happiness is due in no small measure [=in no small part] to its parents.
(it's a) small world
- see 1world
not (in) the smallest bit
- see 1bit
- small·ish /ˈsmɑːlɪʃ/ adj
- small·ness /ˈsmɑːlnəs/ noun [noncount]

brown

brown [adjective]
US /braʊn/ 
UK /braʊn/ 
Example: 

brown eyes

having the colour of earth, wood, or coffee

brown - قهوه ای
Persian equivalent: 
Example: 

brown eyes

Oxford Essential Dictionary

brown

 adjective, noun (browner, brownest)
having the colour of earth or wood:
brown eyes
I go brown (= my skin becomes brown) as soon as I sit in the sun.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

brown

I. brown1 S2 W2 /braʊn/ BrE AmE adjective
[Language: Old English; Origin: brun]
1. having the colour of earth, wood, or coffee:
dark brown hair
2. having skin that has been turned brown by the sun:
He’d been on vacation and looked very brown.
He was as brown as a berry after two weeks in the sun.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ types of brown
light/pale brown a light brown jacket
dark/deep brown dark brown eyes
warm brown a warm brown shade
rich brown a rich brown colour
reddish brown The earth was reddish brown.
golden brown Cook until the cheese is golden brown.
rusty brown (=an orange-brown colour) It was autumn and the leaves were already rusty brown.
muddy brown the muddy brown water of the river
chestnut brown (=a red-brown colour) a beautiful chestnut brown horse
chocolate brown He was wearing a chocolate brown pullover.
II. brown2 BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
the colour of earth, wood, or coffee:
This particular model is available in brown, white, or grey.
the browns and greens of the landscape

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

brown

brown [brown browns browned browning browner brownest] adjective, noun, verb   [braʊn]    [braʊn] 

adjective (brown·er, brown·est)
1. having the colour of earth or coffee
brown eyes
brown bread
dark brown shoe polish

a package wrapped in brown paper

2. having skin that is naturally brown or has been made brown by the sun: (BrE) I don't go brown very easily.
After the summer in Spain, the children were brown as berries.  
Word Origin:
Old English brūn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bruin and German braun.  
Example Bank:
The once-green fields were now uniformly brown.
a lovely warm brown colour
her dark brown eyes
monkeys with bright brown fur
He looked very brown after the cruise.
bright brown eyes

lovely warm browns and golds

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

brown / braʊn / noun [ C or U ]

A1 the colour of chocolate or soil:

dark/light brown

brown adjective

A1

Both my parents have curly brown hair.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

brown

/braʊn/
(browner, brownest, browns, browning, browned)

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.

1.
Something that is brown is the colour of earth or of wood.
...her deep brown eyes...
The stairs are decorated in golds and earthy browns.
COLOUR

2.
You can describe a white-skinned person as brown when they have been sitting in the sun until their skin has become darker than usual.
I don’t want to be really really brown, just have a nice light golden colour.
= tanned
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ

3.
A brown person is someone who belongs to a race of people who have brown-coloured skins.
...a slim brown man with a speckled turban.
ADJ: usu ADJ n

4.
Brown is used to describe grains that have not had their outer layers removed, and foods made from these grains.
...brown bread.
...spicy tomato sauce served over a bed of brown rice.
white
ADJ: usu ADJ n

5.
When food browns or when you brown food, you cook it, usually for a short time on a high flame.
Cook for ten minutes until the sugar browns...
He browned the chicken in a frying pan.
VERB: V, V n

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1brown /ˈbraʊn/ adj -er; -est
1 : having a color like coffee or chocolate
• a brown cow
• The door was brown.
2 : having dark or tanned skin
• workers whose backs are brown from long hours in the sun

purple

purple [adjective] (COLOUR)
US /ˈpɝː.pəl/ 
UK /ˈpɜː.pəl/ 
Example: 

A purple flower 

having a dark colour that is a mixture of red and blue

purple - بنفش
Persian equivalent: 
Example: 

A purple flower 

Oxford Essential Dictionary

purple

 adjective
with a colour between red and blue

>> purple noun:
She often wears purple.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

II. purple2 BrE AmE adjective
1. having a dark colour that is a mixture of red and blue
2. purple with rage/purple in the face etc with a face that is dark red, caused by anger:
His face turned purple with rage.
3. purple patch a time when you are very successful – used especially in news reports:
Steve’s purple patch continued with a second victory on Tuesday.
4. purple prose/passage writing that uses difficult or unusual words – used in order to show disapproval

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

purple

I. pur·ple [purple purples purpled purpling]   [ˈpɜːpl]    [ˈpɜːrpl]  adjective
1. having the colour of blue and red mixed together
a purple flower

His face was purple with rage.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

purple / ˈpɜː.pl̩ /   / ˈpɝː- / adjective (COLOUR)

A2 of a dark reddish-blue colour:

purple plums

a dark purple bruise

purple in the face/purple with rage

dark red in the face because of anger

purpleness / -nəs / noun [ U ]

purple / ˈpɜː.pl̩ /   / ˈpɝː- / adjective UK (STYLE)

describes a piece of writing that is complicated or sounds false because the writer has tried too hard to make the style interesting:

Despite occasional patches of purple prose , the book is mostly clear and incisive.

purpleness / -nəs / noun [ U ]

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

purple

/pɜ:(r)p(ə)l/
(purples)

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.

1.
Something that is purple is of a reddish-blue colour.
She wore purple and green silk.
...sinister dark greens and purples.
COLOUR

2.
Purple prose or a purple patch is a piece of writing that contains very elaborate language or images.
...passages of purple prose describing intense experiences.
ADJ: usu ADJ n

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

purple

2purple adj pur·pler; pur·plest
1 : of the color purple
purple grapes/tulips
2 disapproving : using many fancy words
• The book contains a few purple passages.
• Her writing was full of purple prose.

second

second [ordinal number, determiner]
US /ˈsek.ənd/ 
UK /ˈsek.ənd/ 
Example: 

She doesn't like her father's second wife. 

the second person, thing, event etc is the one that comes after the first

Persian equivalent: 
Example: 

She doesn't like her father's second wife. 

Oxford Essential Dictionary

adjective, adverb
next after first:
February is the second month of the year.
She came second in the race.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

second

I. second1 S1 W1 /ˈsekənd/ BrE AmE number
1. the second person, thing, event etc is the one that comes after the first:
the Second World War
the second of August
a second year student
his second wife
Clinton’s second term in office
the second half of the year
the second time in three days
2. the position in a competition or scale that comes after the one that is the best, most successful etc:
She won second prize.
They climbed to second place in the League.
second largest/most successful etc
Africa’s second highest mountain
be second only to something (=used to emphasize that something is nearly the largest, most important etc)
The euro will have a circulation second only to that of the dollar.
3. another example of the same thing, or another in addition to the one you have:
We advertised for a second guitarist.
There was a second reason for his dismissal.
I asked the doctor for a second opinion (=when you ask another person to repeat an examination, test etc for you).
4. every second year/person/thing etc
a) the second, then the fourth, then the sixth year etc:
The nurse comes every second day.
b) used to emphasize that, in a group of similar things, there is too much of one particular thing:
Every second house seemed to be boarded up.
5. be second to none to be the best:
The quality of Britain’s overseas aid programme is second to none.
6. second chance help given to someone who has failed, in the hope that they will succeed this time:
I just want to give these kids a second chance.
7. have second thoughts to start having doubts about a decision you have made:
You’re not having second thoughts, are you?
have second thoughts about
She’d had second thoughts about the whole project.
8. on second thoughts British English, on second thought American English spoken used to say that you have changed your mind about something:
I’ll call her tomorrow – no, on second thought, I’ll try now.
9. not give something a second thought/without a second thought used to say that someone does not think or worry about something:
She dismissed the rumour without a second thought.
10. not give something a second glance/look (also without a second glance/look) to not look at something again, because you have not really noticed it or because it does not seem important:
No one gave the woman in the grey uniform a second glance.
11. be/become second nature (to somebody) something that is second nature to you is something you have done so often that you do it almost without thinking:
Driving becomes second nature after a while.
12. second wind a new feeling of energy after you have been working or exercising very hard, and had thought you were too tired to continue:
He got his second wind and ran on.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

II. sec·ond 1 [second seconds seconded seconding] determiner, ordinal number, adverb, noun, verb   [ˈsekənd]    [ˈsekənd] 

see also  second2

determiner, ordinal number
1. happening or coming next after the first in a series of similar things or people; 2nd
This is the second time it's happened.
Italy scored a second goal just after half-time.
the second of June/June 2nd
• He was the second to arrive.

• We have one child and are expecting our second in July.

2. next in order of importance, size, quality, etc. to one other person or thing
Osaka is Japan's second-largest city.
Birmingham, the UK's second city
The spreadsheet application is second only to word processing in terms of popularity.

• As a dancer, he is second to none (= nobody is a better dancer than he is).

3. only before noun another; in addition to one that you already own or use
They have a second home in Tuscany.
teachers of English as a second language (= to people who already speak one or more other languages)  
Word Origin:

early 19th cent. French en second ‘in the second rank (of officers)’

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

second / ˈsek. ə nd / ordinal number , determiner

A1 immediately after the first and before any others:

Is Brian her first or second child?

This is the second time I've had flu this winter.

Today is the second ( of March).

A1 the position in which a person finishes a race or competition if they finish immediately behind the winner:

First prize is a fortnight in Barbados and second prize is a weekend in Rome.

Jones took second place in the long jump.

B1 Second is used to show that only one thing is better, bigger, etc. than the thing mentioned:

St Petersburg is Russia's second (biggest/largest) city.

Iraq's oil reserves are second only to Saudi Arabia's.

B1 another:

She is often described as the second Marilyn Monroe.

You really ought to make the most of the opportunity, because you won't get a second chance .

Richard and Liz have a second home in France.

Pay attention to what she's saying because she won't explain it a second time .

happening only once out of every two possible times:

We've decided to hold the conference every second year.

→  Compare alternate adjective

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

second

I PART OF A MINUTE
 

 seconds
 N-COUNT

 (Pronounced [se̱kənd] in second 1 and 2, and [sɪkɒ̱nd] in second 3.)
 A second is one of the sixty parts that a minute is divided into. People often say `a second' or `seconds' when they simply mean a very short time.
  For a few seconds nobody said anything...
  It only takes forty seconds...
  Her orbital speed must be a few hundred meters per second...
  Within seconds the other soldiers began firing too...
  Seconds later, firemen reached his door.II COMING AFTER SOMETHING ELSE
 

 seconds, seconding, seconded
 (Pronounced [se̱kənd] in second 1 and 2, and [sɪkɒ̱nd] in second 3.)
 1) ORD The second item in a series is the one that you count as number two.
  ...the second day of his visit to Delhi.
  ...their second child...
  My son just got married for the second time.
  ...the Second World War...
  She was the second of nine children.
  ...King Charles the Second...
  Britain came second in the Prix St Georges Derby.
 2) ORD: ORD adj-superl Second is used before superlative adjectives to indicate that there is only one thing better or larger than the thing you are referring to.
  The party is still the second strongest in Italy.
  ...the second-largest city in the United States.
 3) ADV: ADV cl You say second when you want to make a second point or give a second reason for something.
  First, the weapons should be intended for use only in retaliation after a nuclear attack. Second, the possession of the weapons must be a temporary expedient.
 4) N-COUNT In Britain, an upper second is a good honours degree and a lower second is an average honours degree.
  I then went up to Lancaster University and got an upper second.
 5) N-PLURAL If you have seconds, you have a second helping of food. [INFORMAL]
  There's seconds if you want them.
 6) N-COUNT: usu pl Seconds are goods that are sold cheaply in shops because they have slight faults.
  It's a new shop selling discounted lines and seconds.
 7) N-COUNT: usu pl The seconds of someone who is taking part in a boxing match or chess tournament are the people who assist and encourage them.
  He shouted to his seconds, `I did it! I did it!'
 8) VERB If you second a proposal in a meeting or debate, you formally express your agreement with it so that it can then be discussed or voted on.
  [V n] ...Bryan Sutton, who seconded the motion against fox hunting...
  [V n] Your application must be proposed and seconded by current members.
  Derived words:
  seconder plural N-COUNT Candidates need a proposer and seconder whose names are kept secret.
 9) VERB If you second what someone has said, you say that you agree with them or say the same thing yourself.
  [V n] The Prime Minister seconded the call for discipline and austerity in a speech to the assembly last week.
 10) PHRASE: PHR after v If you experience something at second hand, you are told about it by other people rather than experiencing it yourself.
 → See also second-hand
  Most of them, after all, had not been at the battle and had only heard of the massacre at second hand.
 11) PHRASE: v-link PHR (emphasis) If you say that something is second to none, you are emphasizing that it is very good indeed or the best that there is.
  Our scientific research is second to none.
 12) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR If you say that something is second only to something else, you mean that only that thing is better or greater than it.
  As a major health risk hepatitis is second only to tobacco.
 13) second naturesee nature
 in the second placesee placeIII SENDING SOMEONE TO DO A JOB
 seconds, seconding, seconded
 VERB: usu passive

 (Pronounced [se̱kənd] in second 1 and 2, and [sɪkɒ̱nd] in second 3.)
 If you are seconded somewhere, you are sent there temporarily by your employer in order to do special duties. [BRIT]
  [be V-ed prep/adv] In 1937 he was seconded to the Royal Canadian Air Force in Ottawa as air armament adviser...
  [be V-ed to-inf] Several hundred soldiers have been seconded to help farmers.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1sec·ond /ˈsɛkənd/ adj always used before a noun
1 a : occupying the number two position in a series
• We sat in the second row.
• the second house on the left
• the author's second novel
• B is the second letter in the alphabet.
• That's the second time I've seen him today.
• The office is on the second floor. [=(US) the floor just above the lowest floor; (Brit) the floor that is two floors above the lowest floor]
b : next to the first in importance or rank
• Chocolate is my first choice; vanilla is my second choice.
• I won second prize.
c : another of the same kind
• They needed a second car. [=they needed two cars]
• The chair needs a second coat of paint.
• The word has a second meaning. [=the word has two meanings]
• She took a second helping [=she took another serving] of carrots.
• English as a second language [=a language that you learn in addition to the language you first learned when you were a young child]
• I could have fired him, but I gave him a second chance. [=I gave him another chance]
• I recommend you get a second opinion. [=advice from another doctor to make sure the first advice is right]
• He passed her by without (giving her) a second glance. [=he didn't notice her]
• She liked the house enough to give it a second look. [=she looked at the house again]
2
- used to refer to the forward gear or speed of a vehicle that is next to the lowest forward gear
• You should put the car in second gear when you go up the hill.
- sometimes used figuratively
• The movie never really gets out of second gear.
• The program is shifting into second gear now that all the proposals have been approved.
3 : having or playing the part in a group of instruments that is one level lower than the first
• She plays second violin in the city orchestra.
- see also play second fiddle at 1fiddle
every second
- used to indicate how often a repeated activity happens or is done
• We elect a mayor every second year. [=in alternate years; every other year]
second only to : only less important than (something or someone)
• Rice is second only to corn as the state's major crop.
second to none
- see 1none

first

first [ordinal number, determiner]
US /ˈfɝːst/ 
UK /ˈfɜːst/ 
Example: 

I am the first child in the family. 

coming before all the other things or people in a series

Persian equivalent: 
Example: 

I am the first child in the family. 

Oxford Essential Dictionary

adjective
before all the others:
January is the first month of the year.
You've won first prize!

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

first

I. first1 S1 W1 /fɜːst $ fɜːrst/ BrE AmE adjective
[Language: Old English; Origin: fyrst]
1. IN A SERIES coming before all the other things or people in a series:
Ella was his first girlfriend.
the first thing/time/day etc
The first time I flew on a plane I was really nervous.
In the first year, all students take five courses.
He said the first thing that came into his head.
the first step towards achieving a peace agreement
There’s a meeting on the first Monday of every month.
the first two/three/few etc
I only read the first two chapters of the book.
It rained during the first few days of the trip.
The first and last mountain I climbed was Mount Rundle (=it was the only mountain I ever climbed).
2. for the first time used to say that something has never happened or been done before:
For the first time in his life he felt truly happy.
The survey revealed that, for the first time, there are more women in the workplace than men.
Not for the first time she wondered how he coped with so many children.
3. MAIN most important:
Our first priority is to maintain the standard of work.
As I see it, my first responsibility is to my family.
4. in the first place
a) used to talk about the beginning of a situation, or the situation before something happened:
Why did you agree to meet her in the first place?
He wouldn’t have given you the job in the first place if he didn’t think you could do it.
b) written used to give the first in a list of reasons or points:
Her success was secured by two factors. In the first place, she had the support of managers.
5. in the first instance formal at the start of a situation or series of actions:
The appointment of research officer will be for two years in the first instance.
Enquiries should be made in the first instance to the Human Resources Director.
6. at first glance/sight the first time that you look at someone or something, before you notice any details:
At first glance the twins look identical.
At first sight, there didn’t appear to be much damage. ⇨ love at first sight at ↑love2(2)
7. first things first used to say that something should be done or dealt with first because it is the most important
8. (at) first hand if you see, experience, hear etc something at first hand, you see, experience etc it yourself, not through other people:
Many people have seen the horrors of war at first hand. ⇨ ↑first-hand
9. first prize/place the prize that is given to the best person or thing in a competition
win/take first prize
She won first prize in a painting competition.
first prize/place of
There is a first prize of £10,000.
10. first choice the thing or person you like best:
John was our first choice as a name for the baby.
11. first thing as soon as you get up in the morning, or as soon as you start work:
I’ll call you first thing tomorrow.
We’re leaving first thing.
12. at first light literary very early in the morning:
The search will resume at first light tomorrow.
13. make the first move to be the person who starts to do something when someone else is too nervous, embarrassed etc to do it:
He was glad she had made the first move and kissed him.
14. not have the first idea about something (also not know/understand the first thing about something) to not know anything about a subject, or not know how to do something:
I wouldn’t have the first idea about what to do in that situation.
I don’t know the first thing about cars.
15. the first flush of something the beginning of a good period of time when you are young, successful etc
be in the first flush of passion/youth etc
He was no longer in the first flush of youth.
The first flush of enthusiasm had passed.
16. JOB TITLE used in the title of someone’s job or position to show that they have a high rank:
the first officer
the First Lord of the Admiralty
17. first among equals officially on the same level as other people but really having more power
18. of the first water old-fashioned of the highest quality

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

first

 

 

first [first firsts] determiner, ordinal number, adverb, noun   [fɜːst]    [fɜːrst] 

 

determiner, ordinal number
1. happening or coming before all other similar things or people; 1st
his first wife
It was the first time they had ever met.
I didn't take the first bus.
students in their first year at college
your first impressions
She resolved to do it at the first (= earliest) opportunity.
King Edward I (= pronounced ‘King Edward the First’)
• the first of May/May 1st

• His second book is better than his first.

2. the most important or best
Your first duty is to your family.
• She won first prize in the competition.

• an issue of the first importance

Rem: Most idioms containing first are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example on first acquaintance is at acquaintance.  
Word Origin:
Old English fyr(e)st; of Germanic origin, related to Old Norse fyrstr and German Fürst ‘prince’, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit prathama, Latin primus, and Greek prōtos.  
Thesaurus:
first det., adj.
1.
It was the first time they had ever met.
initialoriginalearliestopeningintroductorypreliminary|especially BrE, formal preparatory|formal technical primary
Opp: last
the first/initial/earliest/opening/introductory/preliminary/preparatory/primary stage
a/an first/initial/original/preliminary estimate/draft/version
a/an first/initial/preliminary step/appointment/visit
2.
She won first prize in the competition.
topmainkeyhighestprimaryprime|informal number one|especially written foremost|especially written journalism premier
Opp: last
the/our first/top/main/key/highest/number one/foremost priority
the/our first/top/main/key/primary/prime/foremost/number one concern
(the) first/top/premier division/prize  
Language Bank:
first
Ordering your points
This study has the following aims: first , to investigate how international students in the UK use humour; second , to examine how jokes can help to establish social relationships; and, third , to explore the role that humour plays in helping overseas students adjust to life in the UK.
Let us begin by identifying some of the popular joke genres in the UK.
Next, let us turn to / Next, let us consider the question of gender differences in the use of humour.
Finally / Lastly , let us briefly examine the role of humour in defining a nation's culture.
notes at firstly, lastly
Language Banks at conclusion, process  
Example Bank:
First impressions can be misleading.
I didn't take the first bus.
If he wants to see me, he should make the first move.
Local voters gave Steven Hughes first preference.
My first impulse was to run away.
She resolved to do it at the first opportunity.
She's in her first year at college
This is an issue of the first importance.
We're having chicken for the first course.
When the first settlers moved into the area they faced immense hardship.
• You can have first choice of all the rooms.

Idioms: at first  come first  first among equals  first and foremost  first and last  first come, first served  first of all  first off  first up  from first to last  from the first  put somebody first  there's a first time for everything 

 

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

first / ˈfɜːst /   / ˈfɝːst / ordinal number , determiner

A1 (a person or thing) coming before all others in order, time, amount, quality, or importance:

This is my first visit to New York.

I fell in love with him the first time I saw him.

I'm always nervous for the first few minutes of an exam.

Today is the first ( of August).

in the first place B2 in or at the beginning (of a series of events):

The trousers shrank when I washed them, but they weren't really big enough in the first place.

Thankfully, he wasn't hurt, but he never should have been there in the first place.

in the first instance UK as the first attempt or effort:

Enquiries about the post should be addressed in the first instance to the personnel manager.

first thing at the earliest time in the day:

He said he'd phone back first thing tomorrow.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

first

[fɜ͟ː(r)st]
 
 firsts

 1) ORD The first thing, person, event, or period of time is the one that happens or comes before all the others of the same kind.
  She lost 16 pounds in the first month of her diet.
  ...the first few flakes of snow...
  Two years ago Johnson came first in the one hundred metres at Seoul.
  Ant:
  last
 PRON
 First is also a pronoun. The second paragraph startled me even more than the first... He put me through a series of exercises to improve my car control. The first was to drive on simulated ice.
 2) ADV: ADV with v, ADV with cl/group If you do something first, you do it before anyone else does, or before you do anything else.
  I do not remember who spoke first, but we all expressed the same opinion...
  First, tell me what you think of my products...
  Routine questions first, if you don't mind.
 3) ORD When something happens or is done for the first time, it has never happened or been done before.
  This is the first time she has experienced disappointment...
  It was the first occasion when they had both found it possible to keep a rendezvous.
 ADV: ADV with v
 First is also an adverb. Anne and Steve got engaged two years after they had first started going out... I met him first at his house where we had a chat.
 4) N-SING: a N, oft N for n An event that is described as a first has never happened before and is important or exciting.
  It is a first for New York. An outdoor exhibition of Fernando Botero's sculpture on Park Avenue.
 5) PRON: the PRON that The first you hear of something or the first you know about it is the time when you first become aware of it.
  We heard it on the TV last night - that was the first we heard of it...
  When Mark arrived home that afternoon, it was the first he knew for sure of the surprise party.
 6) ADV: ADV before v You use first when you are talking about what happens in the early part of an event or experience, in contrast to what happens later.
  When he first came home he wouldn't say anything about what he'd been doing.
  Syn:
  initially
 ORD: usu poss ORD
 First is also an ordinal. She told him that her first reaction was disgust... My first feeling on getting into the cabin was one of dislike to everything I saw.
 7) ADV: ADV after v (emphasis) In order to emphasize your determination not to do a particular thing, you can say that rather than do it, you would do something else first.
  Marry that fat son of a fat cattle dealer? She would die first!
 8) ADV: ADV with cl/group You use first when you are about to give the first in a series of items.
  Certain basic guidelines can be given. First, have a heating engineer check the safety of the heating system.
  Syn:
  firstly
 9) ORD The first thing, person, or place in a line is the one that is nearest to you or nearest to the front.
  Before him, in the first row, sat the President...
  First in the queue were two Japanese students.
  Ant:
  last
 10) ORD You use first to refer to the best or most important thing or person of a particular kind.
  The first duty of any government must be to protect the interests of the taxpayers...
  Imagine winning the local lottery first prize of ₤5,000.
  ...first team football.
 11) ORD First is used in the title of the job or position of someone who has a higher rank than anyone else with the same basic job title.
  ...the First Lord of the Admiralty.
  ...the first mate of a British tanker.
 12) N-COUNT: oft N in n In British universities, a first is an honours degree of the highest standard.
  ...an Oxford Blue who took a First in Constitutional History.
 13) PHRASE: PHR with cl/group You use first of all to introduce the first of a number of things that you want to say.
  The cut in the interest rates has not had very much impact in California for two reasons. First of all, banks are still afraid to loan.
 14) PHRASE: PHR with cl You use at first when you are talking about what happens in the early stages of an event or experience, or just after something else has happened, in contrast to what happens later.
  At first, he seemed surprised by my questions...
  I had some difficulty at first recalling why we were there.
  Syn:
  initially
 15) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone or something comes first for a particular person, you mean they treat or consider that person or thing as more important than anything else.
  There's no time for boyfriends, my career comes first.
 16) PHRASE You say `first come first served' to indicate that a group of people or things will be dealt with or given something in the order in which they arrive.
  There will be five buses, first come first served.
 17) PHRASE: PHR with cl From the first means ever since something started.
  You knew about me from the first, didn't you?...
  I thought from the first that she was a little unsure about that marriage.
 18) PHRASE: PHR after v If you learn or experience something at first hand, you experience it yourself or learn it directly rather than being told about it by other people.
  He arrived in Natal to see at first hand the effects of the recent heavy fighting.
  Syn:
  from the outset
 19) PHRASE: V inflects (emphasis) If you say that you do not know the first thing about something, you are emphasizing that you know absolutely nothing about it.
  You don't know the first thing about farming.
 20) PHRASE: PHR with cl You use first off to introduce the first of a number of things that you want to say. [INFORMAL]
  First off, huge apologies for last month's confusing report.
 21) PHRASE: V inflects If you put someone or something first, you treat or consider them as more important than anything else.
  Somebody has to think for the child and put him first.
  Syn:
  firstly
 22) PHRASE You say `first things first' when you are talking about something that should be done or dealt with before anything else because it is the most important.
  Let's see if we can't find something to set the mood. First things first; some music.
 23) first and foremostsee foremost

 

 

[-fɜ͟ː(r)st]
 COMB in ADV: ADV after v
 -first combines with nouns like `head' and `feet' to indicate that someone moves with the part that is mentioned pointing in the direction in which they are moving.
  He overbalanced and fell head first.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1first /ˈfɚst/ adj
1 : coming before all others in time, order, or importance
• She won first prize.
• We sat in the first row.
• his first wife
• her first book/child
• in the first century
• his first offense
• her first kiss
• She succeeded on her first attempt/try.
• He was (the) first in line.
• We will correct these errors at the first opportunity. [=as soon as it is possible to do so]
• English is not my first [=native] language. [=it is not the language I learned first; I learned to speak another language before I learned to speak English]
• She's in first grade. [=the first level in school after kindergarten]
• I still remember the first time I saw her.
• You should leave at the first [=earliest] hint of trouble.
• My first [=initial] impulse was to say no.
• This is a matter of the first [=highest] importance.
• Your first [=main] concern should be to get well.
• the captain and the first mate [=the officer on a ship who is most important after the captain]
• She was accused of murder in the first degree. [=first-degree murder; the most serious kind of murder]
2
- used to refer to the lowest forward gear or speed of a vehicle
• I couldn't get the car out of first gear.
3 : having or playing the main part in a group of instruments
first violin
at first blush or at first glance also at first sight : when first seen or considered
At first blush, the proposal seems ridiculous.
• It appears at first glance/sight to be a simple matter of hiring more people.
at first hand : in a direct way : firsthand
• I had a chance to verify his claims at first hand.
first among equals
✦A person who is first among equals is the leader of a group of people but is officially considered equal in rights and status to the other members of the group.
• As a director, he encourages collaboration and considers himself only (the) first among equals.
first thing
1 the first thing : anything at all - used in negative statements
• He doesn't know/understand the first thing about the problems we've been having.
2 : before anything else : right away : very early
• I'll be back first thing (on) Monday morning.
• She promised to call first thing in the morning.
first things first
- used to say that you should do the things that are most important before doing other things
• I know you're eager to start shopping for a car, but first things first—you need to find out how much you can afford to spend.
• You must set priorities and learn how to put first things first.
in the first flush of
- see 1flush
in the first instance
- see instance
in the first place
- see 1place
love at first sight
- see 1love

home

home [noun] (HOUSE/APARTMENT)
US /hoʊm/ 
UK /həʊm/ 
Example: 

I return home every day at five.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

1 the place where you live:
Simon left home (= stopped living in his parents' house) at the age of 18.

2 a place where they look after people, for example children who have no parents, or old people:
My grandmother lives in an old people's home.

at home in your house or flat:
I stayed at home yesterday.
Is Sara at home?

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

home

I. home1 S1 W1 /həʊm $ hoʊm/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: adjective: homeless, homely, homeward; noun: home, homelessness; adverb: home, HOMEWARDS; verb: home]
[Language: Old English; Origin: ham 'village, home']
1. PLACE WHERE YOU LIVE [uncountable and countable] the house, apartment, or place where you live:
They have a beautiful home in California.
Good luck in your new home!
at home
Last night we stayed at home and watched TV.
away from home
He was spending more and more time away from home.
work from/at home (=do your work at home instead of at a company office)
A family of birds made their home (=started living) under the roof.
2. FAMILY [uncountable and countable] the place where a child lived with his or her family:
Jack left home when he was 16.
Were you still living at home (=with your parents)?
Carrie moved out of the family home a year ago.
3. WHERE YOU CAME FROM/BELONG [uncountable and countable] the place where you came from or where you usually live, especially when this is the place where you feel happy and comfortable:
She was born in Italy, but she’s made Charleston her home.
back home
The folks back home don’t really understand what life is like here.
4. YOUR COUNTRY [uncountable] the country where you live, as opposed to foreign countries
at home
auto sales at home and abroad
back home
He’s been travelling, but he’s kept up with what’s going on back home.
5. be/feel at home
a) to feel comfortable in a place or with a person
be/feel at home in/with
I’m already feeling at home in the new apartment.
After a while we began to feel at home with each other.
b) to feel happy or confident about doing or using something
be/feel at home with/in
Practise using the video until you feel quite at home with it.
6. PROPERTY [countable] a house, apartment etc considered as property which you can buy or sell:
Attractive modern homes for sale.
7. FOR TAKING CARE OF SOMEBODY [countable] a place where people who are very old or sick, or children who have no family, are looked after:
an old people’s home
I could never put Dad into a home. ⇨ CHILDREN’S HOME, ↑nursing home, ↑rest home
8. make yourself at home spoken used to tell someone who is visiting you that they should relax:
Sit down and make yourself at home.
9. make somebody feel at home to make someone feel relaxed by being friendly towards them:
We like to make our customers feel at home.
10. the home of something
a) the place where something was first discovered, made, or developed:
America is the home of baseball.
b) the place where a plant or animal grows or lives:
India is the home of elephants and tigers.
11. SPORTS TEAM at home if a sports team plays at home, they play at their own sports field OPP away
at home to
Birmingham Bullets are at home to Kingston.
12. home from home British English, home away from home American English a place that you think is as pleasant and comfortable as your own house
13. home sweet home used to say how nice it is to be in your own home
14. dogs’/cats’ home British English a place where animals with no owners are looked after
15. find a home for something British English to find a place where something can be kept:
Can you find a home for the piano?
16. what’s that when it’s at home? British English spoken used humorously to ask what a long or unusual word means
17. GAMES [uncountable] a place in some games or sports which a player must try to reach in order to win a point
⇨ ↑home plate, ↑home run
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + home
a secure/stable home (=a caring family without a lot of changes) He had grown up in a stable home.
a happy home (=a happy family) We had a happy home.
a broken home (=a family in which the parents have separated) Many of the youngsters came from broken homes.
the family home (=where a family lives) The house was once the family home of the O'Dare family.
the marital home (=where a husband and wife live) He left the marital home to move in with his lover.
sb’s childhood/boyhood etc home (=where you lived as a child) I had not been back to my childhood home for ten years.
a permanent/temporary home Flood victims were offered temporary homes.
■ verbs
live at home (=live with your parents) More people in their twenties are still living at home because housing is so expensive.
leave home (=stop living with your parents at home) Lisa had left home at age 16.
work from/at home (=do your work at home instead of at an office) I work at home three days a week.
• • •
THESAURUS
home the house, apartment, or place where you live: More and more people are working from home. | It was past midnight by the time I got home.
house a building that someone lives in, especially a building intended for one person, couple, or family: Shall we meet at your house? | Have you seen Dave’s new house – it’s huge!
place spoken informal the house, apartment, or room where someone lives: We went to Sara’s place after the movie. | He’s just bought a fantastic place right by the sea.
residence formal the house or apartment where someone lives, especially a large or official one: The Prime Minister’s official residence is 10 Downing Street. | His wife transferred her main residence to Spain.
holiday home British English, vacation home American English a house that someone owns by the sea, in the mountains etc, where they go for their holidays: They bought a luxury holiday home in Spain.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

home

 

 

home [home homes homed homing] noun, adjective, adverb, verb   [həʊm]    [hoʊm] 

 

noun

 

HOUSE, ETC.
1. countable, uncountable the house or flat/apartment that you live in, especially with your family
We are not far from my home now.
Old people prefer to stay in their own homes.
She leaves home at 7 every day.
the family home
While travelling she missed the comforts of home.
He left home (= left his parents and began an independent life) at sixteen.
Nowadays a lot of people work from home.
I'll call you from home later.
(figurative) We haven't found a home for all our books yet (= a place where they can be kept).
• stray dogs needing new homes

see also  stay-at-home

2. countable a house or flat/apartment, etc, when you think of it as property that can be bought and sold
a holiday/summer home
A lot of new homes are being built on the edge of town.
Private home ownership is increasing faster than ever.
• They applied for a home improvement loan.

see also  mobile home, second home, stately home  

 

 

TOWN/COUNTRY

3. countable, uncountable the town, district, country, etc. that you come from, or where you are living and that you feel you belong to
I often think about my friends back home.
• Jane left England and made Greece her home.

• Jamaica is home to over two million people.  

 

 

FAMILY

4. countable used to refer to a family living together, and the way it behaves
She came from a violent home.
They wanted to give the boy a secure and loving home.
• He had always wanted a real home with a wife and children.

see also  broken home  

 

 

FOR OLD PEOPLE/CHILDREN

5. countable a place where people who cannot care for themselves live and are cared for by others
a children's home
an old people's home
a retirement home
a home for the mentally ill
She has lived in a home since she was six.

see also  nursing home, rest home  

 

 

FOR PETS

6. countable a place where pets with no owner are taken care of

• a dogs'/cats' home  

 

 

OF PLANT/ANIMAL

7. singular, uncountable the place where a plant or animal usually lives; the place where sb/sth can be found
This region is the home of many species of wild flower.
The tiger's home is in the jungle.
The Rockies are home to bears and mountain lions.
• Arizona is home to the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest.

• Beverly Hills is the home of the stars.  

 

 

WHERE STH FIRST DONE

8. singular the ~ of sth the place where sth was first discovered, made or invented
New Orleans, the home of jazz
Greece, the home of democracy
more at charity begins at home at  charity, close to home at  close2 adj., eat sb out of house and home at  eat, an Englishman's home is his castle at  Englishman, your spiritual home at  spiritual  
Word Origin:
Old English hām, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch heem and German Heim.  
Thesaurus:
home noun
1. C, U
My home is very near here.
houseaddress|BrE flat|especially AmE apartment|informal place|formal dwellingresidence|formal humorous abode
at home/sb's house/an address/sb's flat/sb's apartment/sb's place/sb's residence
in a home/sb's house/sb's flat/sb's apartmentsb's place/a dwelling/a residence
have a/an home/house/address/flat/apartment/place of your own
2. C
200 new homes are being built in the town.
housecottage|BrE flatbungalow|especially AmE apartmenttownhousecondominium|AmE ranch house
a detached/semi-detached home/house/cottage/bungalow
a one-/two-/three-bedroom home/house/cottage/flat/bungalow/apartment/townhouse/ranch house
rent a home/house/cottage/flat/bungalow/apartment
3. C, U
She left England and made her home in Spain.
homelandhometownbirthplace
a/an beloved/adopted home/homeland/hometown
a tribal/traditional/spiritual home/homeland
return to your home/homeland/hometown/birthplace
4. C
a child from a secure and loving home
familyhouseholdhouse
a low-income/poor/high-income/wealthy/rich home/family/household
come from a …home/family
sb's home/family life/background/situation  
Collocations:
Decorating and home improvement
Houses
refurbish/renovate/ (BrE) do up a building/a house
convert a building/house/room into homes/offices/(especially NAmE) apartments/(BrE) flats
extend/enlarge a house/building/room/kitchen
build (BrE) an extension (to the back/rear of a house)/(NAmE) an addition (on/to sth)/(BrE) a conservatory
knock down/demolish a house/home/building/wall
knock out/through the wall separating two rooms
Decoration
furnish/paint/ (especially BrE) decorate a home/house/apartment/flat/room
be decorated in bright colours/(especially US) colors/in a traditional style/with flowers/with paintings
paint/plaster the walls/ceiling
hang/put up/strip off/remove the wallpaper
install/replace/remove the bathroom fixtures/(BrE) fittings
build/put up shelves
lay wooden flooring/timber decking/floor tiles/a carpet/a patio
put up/hang/take down a picture/painting/poster/curtain
DIY/home improvement
do (BrE) DIY/carpentry/the plumbing/the wiring
make home improvements
add/install central heating/underfloor heating/insulation
fit/install double-glazing/a smoke alarm
insulate your house/your home/the walls/the pipes/the tanks/(especially BrE) the loft
fix/repair a roof/a leak/a pipe/the plumbing/a leaking (especially BrE) tap/(NAmE usually) faucet
block/clog (up)/unblock/unclog a pipe/sink
make/drill/fill a hole
hammer (in)/pull out/remove a nail
tighten/untighten/loosen/remove a screw
saw/cut/treat/stain/varnish/paint wood 
Collocations:
Moving house
Renting
live in a rented/(especially NAmE) rental property
rent/share/move into a furnished house/(BrE) flat/(especially NAmE) apartment
rent a studio/(BrE) a studio flat/(especially NAmE) a studio apartment/(BrE) a bedsit
find/get a housemate/(BrE) a flatmate/(NAmE) a roommate
sign/break the lease/rental agreement/contract
extend/renew/terminate the lease/(BrE) tenancy
afford/pay the rent/the bills/(NAmE) the utilities
(especially BrE) fall behind with/ (especially NAmE) fall behind on the rent
pay/lose/return a damage deposit/(NAmE) security deposit
give/receive a month's/two-weeks' notice to leave/vacate the property
Being a landlord
have a flat/apartment/room (BrE) to let/(especially NAmE) for rent
rent (out)/lease (out)/ (BrE) let (out)/sublet a flat/apartment/house/property
collect/increase/raise the rent
evict the existing tenants
attract/find new/prospective tenants
invest in rental property/(BrE) property to let/(BrE) the buy-to-let market
Buying
buy/acquire/purchase a house/(a) property/(especially NAmE) (a piece of) prime real estate
call/contact/use (BrE) an estate agent/(NAmE) a Realtor™/(NAmE) a real estate agent/broker
make/ (BrE) put in an offer on a house
put down/save for (BrE) a deposit on a house
make/put/save for (especially NAmE) a down payment on a house/home
apply for/arrange/take out a mortgage/home loan
(struggle to) pay the mortgage
make/meet/keep up/cover the monthly mortgage payments/(BrE also) repayments
(BrE) repossess/ (especially NAmE) foreclose on sb's home/house
Selling
put your house/property on the market/up for sale/up for auction
increase/lower your price/the asking price
have/hold/hand over the deed/(especially BrE) deeds of/to the house, land, etc. 
Example Bank:
Andalusia, the home of flamenco
Fitting a burglar alarm is the most effective way to increase home security.
He came from an appalling home background.
He claimed he had bought the cigarettes for home consumption, not to sell them.
He didn't leave home until he was 24.
He supplements his income with part-time or home work.
He used to spend the summer painting at his country home.
He went missing while on home leave from prison.
He'd always dreamed of owning his own home.
Her job means she's away from home for weeks at a time.
I arranged to meet her in her office, as she seemed more relaxed on her home territory.
I've tried all the home remedies for headaches without success.
It's unusual for young people over 25 to still live in the family home.
Let's go home— I'm tired.
Make sure you insure your home contents for an adequate amount.
More and more children in the school are from single-parent homes.
My grandmother has a home help who comes and cleans twice a week.
On the home front, the fuel crisis continues to worsen.
Perhaps we could find a home for the kitten.
Placing a child in public care is sometimes the only solution to ill-treatment in the natural home.
Priceless antique furniture was destroyed in the fire at the stately home.
She desperately missed her home comforts while camping.
She had never had a stable home life.
She left her native home in Ireland and went to America.
She missed her mother's home cooking.
The banner said ‘Welcome home dad!’
The course is suitable for classroom or home study.
The doctor was assaulted on a home visit.
The first time he visited New Orleans he knew he had found his spiritual home.
The hill is the legendary home of King Arthur.
The hotel's friendly atmosphere makes it a real home (away) from home.
The lock-up garage provides a secure home for your car.
The mudflats offer a winter home to thousands of migrating swans.
The newspaper gives priority to home news over international news.
The people abandoned their homes and headed for the hills.
The show gives home-grown musical talent the chance to show what they can do.
The storm wrecked the family's caravan home.
The team are playing away from home.
The team's home form has slumped in recent weeks.
These birds are in danger of becoming extinct as their forest home disappears.
These children badly need a stable and secure home life.
They also have a holiday home in Spain.
They also have a weekend home in the Catskills.
They are a difficult team to beat on their home ground.
They designed and built their own home.
They found their dream home on the shore of a lake.
They hope to sell as many computers on the home market as they export.
They run a retirement home for the elderly.
This computer is marketed for home use.
Try calling me on my home number after six o'clock.
We are offering a free 15-day home trial on our software.
We have a home movie of my dad teaching me to swim.
We have to provide a good home for the children.
Work begins this week on a purpose-built home for the city's homeless.
a laser printer aimed at the home user
a shelter for people with no permanent home
a temporary home for the paintings
children from a broken home
home-grown vegetables
home-made bread
seamen serving in home waters
the market for home entertainment systems
the party's spokesman for home affairs
A family of four was rescued early this morning when fire ripped through their terraced home.
Eventually she had to give up her house and go into a nursing home.
He refused to give up his house and garden and go into a retirement home.
His children were upset when he sold the family home.
I had always thought of India as my spiritual home.
I often think about my friends back home.
I'll call you from home later.
Juliet left England and made Spain her home.
My grandmother moved into an old people's home two years ago.
Nora's parents lost custody, and she was placed in a children's home.
Nowadays a lot of people work from home.
She comes from a broken home.
She had to move to a residential care home when her health deteriorated.
She left home and began an independent life at sixteen.
She made her home in Spain.
The centre provides an adoption programme for pets needing new homes.
The tiger's home is in the jungle.
We bought a holiday home in France.
We haven't found a home for all my father's books yet.
Idioms: at home  away from home  bring home the bacon  bring something home to somebody  come home to somebody  hit home  home and dry  home from home  home is where the heart is  home sweet home  set up home  something comes home to roost  when he's/it's at home

Derived: home in on something 

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

home / həʊm /   / hoʊm / noun (HOUSE/APARTMENT)

A1 [ C or U ] the house, apartment, etc. where you live, especially with your family:

The senator has two homes - an apartment in Washington and a house in Colorado.

He was living on the streets for three months, and his home was a cardboard box.

Phone me at home after four o'clock.

I took home a couple of books to read.

He left home (= stopped living with his parents) when he was 23.

More and more couples are setting up home together without getting married.

[ C ] a house, apartment, etc. when it is considered as property that you can buy or sell:

luxury/starter homes

[ C ] the type of family you come from:

We had a happy home.

children from a broken home (= from a family in which the parents had separated)

C1 [ C ] a place where people or animals live and are cared for by people who are not their relations or owners:

a children's home/an old people's home/a dogs' home

He spent his early years in a home.

 

home / həʊm /   / hoʊm / noun [ C or U ] (ORIGIN)

A1 someone's or something's place of origin, or the place where a person feels they belong:

I live in London, but my home (= where I was born) is in Yorkshire.

I was actually born in New Zealand, but I've lived in England for so long that it feels like home now.

 

home / həʊm /   / hoʊm / noun (COUNTRY)

[ C or U ] your own country or your own area:

I wonder what they're doing back home.

be/play at home

If a sports team are/play at home, they play on their own sports field.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

 

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

home

I [ho͟ʊm]NOUN, ADJECTIVE, AND ADVERB USES
 

 homes
 1) N-COUNT: oft poss N, also at N Someone's home is the house or flat where they live.
  Last night they stayed at home and watched TV...
  The General divided his time between his shabby offices in Carlton Gardens and his home in Hampstead.
  ...the allocation of land for new homes.
 2) N-UNCOUNT You can use home to refer in a general way to the house, town, or country where someone lives now or where they were born, often to emphasize that they feel they belong in that place.
  She gives frequent performances of her work, both at home and abroad...
  His father worked away from home for much of Jim's first five years...
  At seventeen, Daniele was told to leave home by her father...
  Ms Highsmith has made Switzerland her home...
  Warwick is home to some 550 international students...
  Brian decided to leave the UK and set up home in Southern Spain...
  He has moved back to his home town of Miami.
 3) ADV: ADV after v, be ADV Home means to or at the place where you live.
  His wife wasn't feeling too well and she wanted to go home...
  I'll telephone you as soon as I get home...
  Hi, Mom, I'm home!...
  Company officials say striking union members should stay home today.
 4) ADJ: ADJ n Home means made or done in the place where you live.
  ...cheap but healthy home cooking...
  All you have to do is make a home video.
 5) ADJ: ADJ n Home means relating to your own country as opposed to foreign countries.
  Europe's software companies still have a growing home market.
  ...the Guardian's home news pages.
  Syn:
  domestic
 6) N-COUNT A home is a large house or institution where a number of people live and are looked after, instead of living in their own houses or flats. They usually live there because they are too old or ill to look after themselves or for their families to care for them.
  It's going to be a home for handicapped children.
  ...an old people's home.
 7) N-COUNT You can refer to a family unit as a home.
  She had, at any rate, provided a peaceful and loving home for Harriet...
  Single-parent homes are commonplace.
 8) N-SING: with supp, usu N of n If you refer to the home of something, you mean the place where it began or where it is most typically found.
  This south-west region of France is the home of claret.
 9) N-COUNT: oft N for n If you find a home for something, you find a place where it can be kept.
  The equipment itself is getting smaller, neater and easier to find a home for.
 10) ADV: ADV after v If you press, drive, or hammer something home, you explain it to people as forcefully as possible.
  It is now up to all of us to debate this issue and press home the argument.
 11) N-UNCOUNT: usu at N When a sports team plays at home, they play a game on their own ground, rather than on the opposing team's ground.
  I scored in both games against Barcelona; we drew at home and beat them away.
  Ant:
  away
 ADJ: ADJ n
 Home is also an adjective. All three are Chelsea fans, and attend all home games together.
 12) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you feel at home, you feel comfortable in the place or situation that you are in.
  He spoke very good English and appeared pleased to see us, and we soon felt quite at home...
  I am not completely at home in any Protestant Church.
 13) PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR to n To bring something home to someone means to make them understand how important or serious it is.
  Their sobering conversation brought home to everyone present the serious and worthwhile work the Red Cross does.
 14) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that someone is, in British English home and dry, or in American English home free, you mean that they have been successful or that they are certain to be successful.
  The prime minister and the moderates are not yet home and dry.
 15) PHRASE: V inflects If a situation or what someone says hits home or strikes home, people accept that it is real or true, even though it may be painful for them to realize.
  Did the reality of war finally hit home?...
  Israeli officials say that message struck home.
 16) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR (approval) You can say a home from home in British English or a home away from home in American English to refer to a place in which you are as comfortable as in your own home.
  Many cottages are a home from home, offering microwaves, dishwashers, tvs and videos.
 17) CONVENTION (politeness) If you say to a guest `Make yourself at home', you are making them feel welcome and inviting them to behave in an informal, relaxed way.
 18) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that something is nothing to write home about, you mean that it is not very interesting or exciting. [INFORMAL]
  So a dreary Monday afternoon in Walthamstow is nothing to write home about, right?
 19) PHRASE: V inflects If something that is thrown or fired strikes home, it reaches its target. [WRITTEN]
  Only two torpedoes struck home.II [ho͟ʊm]PHRASAL VERB USES
 homes, homing, homed

  Phrasal Verbs:
  - home in

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1home /ˈhoʊm/ noun, pl homes
1 : the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives

[count]

• Right now his home is a small apartment.
• People are concerned about protecting their homes.
• (chiefly US) The neighborhood is filled with expensive new homes. [=houses]
• They've started on a major home-improvement project. [=a project to make their house better, bigger, more modern, etc.]
• They have a second/vacation home on the lake.

[noncount]

• There's no place like home.
• Let's stay at home tonight. [=let's not go out tonight]
• I must have left my notes at home.
• We're a long way from home. [=we are not close to our house]
• I will be away from home [=I will not be at my house] for two weeks.
• He has no place to call home. [=he does not have a place to live]
• He works at/from home. [=he does his work in his house and not in an office building]
- see also at home (below), mobile home, motor home
2 [count] : a family living together in one building, house, etc.
• She made a good home for her husband and children.
• She came from a troubled home. [=a family with many problems]
• He comes from a broken home. [=a family in which the parents have divorced]
• She lived at home [=she lived with her parents or family] until she got married.
• He left home [=left his parent's house and lived in his own house] after graduating from high school.
3 a : a place where something normally or naturally lives or is located

[count]

• Australia is the home [=habitat] of the kangaroo.

[noncount]

• The islands are home to many species of birds.
b [count] : the place where something began or was created - usually + of
• The restaurant advertises itself as the home of the “Big Burger.”
c [count] : a place where something is placed, stored, etc.
• Can you find homes for these files in your office?
4 : the place where someone lives or originally comes from : the place to which you feel most strongly attached

[noncount]

• New York will always be home to me.
• They made their home [=they settled] on the banks of the Mississippi.
People back home [=in his hometown; in the place he is from] would never believe how much he has changed.

[count]

• He has fond memories of his boyhood home. [=the place where he lived as a boy]
5 [count] : the place where an organization, a company, etc., is located and operates
• This building will be the orchestra's new home.
• The big television networks have their homes in the same city.
6 [count] : a place where people who are unable to care for themselves live and are cared for
• an orphan's home
• an old people's home
• She doesn't want to put her mother in a home.
- see also nursing home, rest home
7 [noncount] : a place that you try to reach in some games (such as baseball)
• He was tagged out at home.
- see also home plate
at home
1 : in your own country and not a foreign country
• We face serious threats both at home and abroad.
2 sports : in a team's own stadium, park, etc. : in the place where a team is based
• The team's next six games are at home. [=in its own stadium]
• The team has done much better at home [=in its home games] than on the road.
- see also 1home 1 (above)
3 : relaxed and comfortable
• She feels at home on the stage.
• They made me feel (right) at home my first day at the new job.
• Come on in and make yourself at home. [=do what you need to do to feel relaxed and comfortable]
• The professor is equally at home in politics and history. [=knows a lot about both politics and history]
• I've never really felt/been completely at home with [=comfortable and confident about using] all these new-fangled machines.
charity begins at home
- see charity
home away from home US or Brit home from home : a place that is as pleasant and comfortable as your own home
• Whenever he came to the city, his brother's place was like a home away from home.
home sweet home
✦You say home sweet home to show that you are happy when you return to your home after being away from it.
- home·like /ˈhoʊmˌlaɪk/ adj [more ~; most ~] chiefly US
• an inn with a homelike atmosphere

blue

blue [adjective] (COLOUR)
US /bluː/ 
UK /bluː/ 
Example: 

the blue waters of the lake

having the colour of the sky or the sea on a fine day

blue - آبی
Persian equivalent: 
Example: 

the blue waters of the lake

Oxford Essential Dictionary

blue

 adjective (bluer, bluest)
having the colour of a clear sky when the sun shines:
He wore a blue shirt.
dark blue curtains
Her eyes are bright blue.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

blue

I. blue1 S1 W2 /bluː/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: blou]
1. having the colour of the sky or the sea on a fine day ⇨ navy, navy blue:
the blue waters of the lake
dark/light/pale/bright blue
a dark blue raincoat
2. [not before noun] informal sad and without hope SYN depressed:
I’ve been feeling kind of blue.
3. informal blue jokes, stories etc are about sex, in a way that might offend some people ⇨ ↑blue movie
4. argue/talk etc till you’re blue in the face informal to argue, talk etc about something a lot, but without achieving what you want:
You can tell them till you’re blue in the face, but they’ll still do what they want.
5. blue with cold especially British English someone who is blue with cold looks extremely cold
6. go blue British English if someone goes blue, their skin becomes blue because they are cold or cannot breathe properly
7. talk a blue streak American English informal to talk very quickly without stopping
—blueness noun [uncountable]
⇨ ↑black and blue, ⇨ once in a blue moon at ↑once1(15), ⇨ scream blue murder at ↑scream1(1)

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

blue

blue [blue blues blued bluing blueing bluer bluest] adjective, noun   [bluː]    [bluː] 

adjective (bluer, blu·est)
1. having the colour of a clear sky or the sea/ocean on a clear day
• piercing blue eyes

• a blue shirt

2. (of a person or part of the body) looking slightly blue in colour because the person is cold or cannot breathe easily

• Her hands were blue with cold.

3. (informal) sad
Syn:  depressed

• He'd been feeling blue all week.

4. films/movies, jokes or stories that are blue are about sex

• a blue movie

5. (politics) (of an area in the US) having more people who vote for the Democratic candidate than the Republican one
blue states/counties
Opp:  red
see also  true-blue
more at (beat sb) black and blue at  black  adj., between the devil and the deep blue sea at  devil, once in a blue moon at  once  adv., scream blue murder at  scream  v.  
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French bleu, ultimately of Germanic origin and related to Old English blǣwen ‘blue’ and Old Norse blár ‘dark blue’.  
Example Bank:
• a navy blue jumper

• her vivid blue eyes

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

blue / bluː / adjective (COLOUR)

A1 of the colour of the sky without clouds on a bright day, or a darker or lighter type of this:

a faded blue shirt

pale blue eyes

Her hands were blue with cold (= slightly blue because of the cold) .

 

blueness / ˈbluː.nəs / noun [ U ]
 

blue / bluː / adjective (SEXUAL)

showing or mentioning sexual activity in a way that offends many people:

a blue joke

a blue movie/film

His humour is a bit too blue for my tastes.
 

blue / bluː / adjective [ after verb ] informal (SAD)

C2 feeling or showing sadness:

He's been a bit blue since he failed his exams.

→  See also have the blues

 

blueness / ˈbluː.nəs / noun [ U ]

 

blue / bluː / adjective (MEAT)

( also ˌ extra- ˈ rare ) (of meat) cooked so that it is still very red

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

blue

/blu:/
(bluer, bluest, blues)

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.

1.
Something that is blue is the colour of the sky on a sunny day.
There were swallows in the cloudless blue sky...
She fixed her pale blue eyes on her father’s.
...colourful blues and reds.
COLOUR

2.
The blues is a type of music which was developed by African American musicians in the southern United States. It is characterized by a slow tempo and a strong rhythm.
N-PLURAL: the N

3.
If you have got the blues, you feel sad and depressed. (INFORMAL)
Interfering in-laws are the prime sources of the blues.
N-PLURAL: the N

4.
If you are feeling blue, you are feeling sad or depressed, often when there is no particular reason. (INFORMAL)
There’s no earthly reason for me to feel so blue.
= down
ADJ: v-link ADJ

5.
Blue films, stories, or jokes are about sex.
...a secret stash of porn mags and blue movies.
ADJ: ADJ n

6.
If something happens out of the blue, it happens unexpectedly.
One of them wrote to us out of the blue several years later.
PHRASE

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1blue /ˈbluː/ adj blu·er; blu·est
1 : having the color of the clear sky
• a blue house/car/shirt/pen
• his bright blue eyes
• the deep blue ocean
- see also baby blue, black-and-blue, cobalt blue, navy blue, royal blue, sky blue, true-blue
2 : sad or unhappy
• Are you feeling blue?
- see also blues
blue in the face
✦If you do something until you are blue in the face, you do it for a very long time without having any success or making any difference.
• I talked to him until I was blue in the face, but he wouldn't listen to me.
blue with cold or blue from the cold chiefly Brit of a person or body part : blue from being exposed to cold for too long
• Her hands and feet are blue with cold.
• He was shivering and blue from the cold.
go blue Brit : to turn blue from being cold or not breathing
• The baby stopped breathing and went blue.
talk a blue streak US : to talk rapidly and without stopping
• Sheesh! Your friend really talks a blue streak!
- blue·ness noun [noncount]
• the blueness of the ocean

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